Capture of General O'Connor 6 April 1941

[Bob Forczyk]

Looking for more detailed information about capture of British generals O'Connor, Neame, Combe and Gambier-Parry on the night of 6 April 1941.

Not exactly which Axis unit captured them and circumstances.

Did the British party bump into the Germans by accident (as some accounts suggest) or the Germans got lucky and found them?

[Bob Forczyk]

Oberst Gustav Ponath's 8th Machinegun Battalion gets the credit, but looking for a bit more detail.

[hucks216]

There is a brief mention at The Crusader Project from the DAK KTB:

https://rommelsriposte.com/2016/04/10/d ... pril-1941/

[Bob Forczyk]

Thanks, I was aware of that source. I've actually seen at least three versions of the incident and O'Connor's own post-war remarks don't shed any real light on what happened. Given that you don't capture three enemy generals very often, one would expect more info on this incident.

[Ружичасти Слон]

General oconnor and general neame was write long explains on how was capture. General oconnor explains was be on report he was write on apil 1941.year when was be prisoner. General neame explains was be on letter he was write on january 1944.year after he was meet and was talk with churchill on tunis on december 1943.year.

General gambierparry was capture on different place and on different time. I was not read gambierparry explains on how was capture.

[Urmel]

Thanks, I was aware of that source. I've actually seen at least three versions of the incident and O'Connor's own post-war remarks don't shed any real light on what happened. Given that you don't capture three enemy generals very often, one would expect more info on this incident.

The history of MG8 states that the generals were half asleep in their car on the way from Maraua to the HQ in Tmimi. The driver missed a junction and continued on to Derna. The car was overtaken by MG8 motorcycle combinations, and the assistant driver opened fire, killing one German. Return fire then killed the driver and the Generals surrendered. The next morning O'Connor recognised one of his captors, Feldwebel Borchardt of 1. Kompanie, called him a "brave soldier" and gave him his camera. Borchardt died a few days later in the disaster at Tobruk.

[Bob Forczyk]

Thanks, that's exactly the level of detail I was looking for. I suspected there was some shooting involved, but most accounts are very vague about the particulars.

[Ружичасти Слон]

Thanks, I was aware of that source. I've actually seen at least three versions of the incident and O'Connor's own post-war remarks don't shed any real light on what happened. Given that you don't capture three enemy generals very often, one would expect more info on this incident.

The history of MG8 states that the generals were half asleep in their car on the way from Maraua to the HQ in Tmimi. The driver missed a junction and continued on to Derna. The car was overtaken by MG8 motorcycle combinations, and the assistant driver opened fire, killing one German. Return fire then killed the driver and the Generals surrendered. The next morning O'Connor recognised one of his captors, Feldwebel Borchardt of 1. Kompanie, called him a "brave soldier" and gave him his camera. Borchardt died a few days later in the disaster at Tobruk.

I was read explains by kuttel borchardt on book ein battaillon. It was be different on neame explains and oconnor explains.

Neame explains was not write on gun fire and shoots and dead mens.

Oconnor explains was write was be awake when german army was shout for to hands up. No gun fires no shhots no dead mens.

Only on germany storys was be fighting.

[Minotauros]

Good morning,

The next morning O'Connor recognised one of his captors, Feldwebel Borchardt of 1. Kompanie, called him a "brave soldier" and gave him his camera. Borchardt died a few days later in the disaster at Tobruk.

Feldwebel Kurt BORCHARDT (10.04.1915 Misdroy - 09.04.1941 Tobruq).

Regards,