Raid on Sollum Barracks 15/16th April 1941

[ClintHardware]

Hi

Can anyone help try to identify who was holding the area of Sollum Barracks (Salum Barracks) at the moment they were assaulted by the 3rd Coldstream Guards?

During the 15th April the Guards believed that only a single German company and a field gun were present but in the subsequent battle supported by the 4th RHA that night, they encountered what they believed to be a whole motor cycle battalion. They took six prisoners after a lot of hand to hand fighting and killed a minimum of seventy who had been holding a series of MG and larger gun positions. No Italians were encountered. The surviving Germans managed to hold on to their positions and the Guards withdrew. It was a hell of a fight. Amazingly each Rifleman was issued 15 rounds each for the raid - perhaps to encourage them to take the positions instead of just shooting at them. Those with Thompsons received 100 rounds and the Thompsons eliminated many of the positions taken. These details are from the War Diary (WO 169/1701)

They also encountered a single panzer, disabled it and took one of the crew prisoner. They did not describe setting it ablaze so it may well have been recovered and later repaired.

The Guards came under a lot of MG fire and also "flaming footballs" and "flaming onions" which I take to be a reference to 20mm cannon fire but do you know better?

I can confirm this action is in April not May 41.

[Urmel]

Vorausabteilung Knabe of Gruppe Herff reports an attack on 15 April, which they repulsed. Gruppe Herff reports for the night 15/16 April a landing attempt from the sea (a 'cruiser'), and they reported 45 men lost in this, and that because of constant attacks the garrison of Sollum was reduced to a patrol/OP (Spaehtrupp).

VA Knabe consisted of K15, PzJg Abt 33, 1 battery 88 and one battery 20mm of Flak Rgt 18.

[ClintHardware]

Thanks Urmel

Can you quote the original German text or provide a translation?

The sea assault probably refers to this brassing up of the positions:


3rd Coldstream Guards
14 April. During the morning three Destroyers and the gun boat H.M.S. Gnat shell SALUM BKS. A shore Signal Station is set up at 3 Coy HQ, and communications opened with H.M.S. Gnat with the help of a NAVAL Liaison Officer. During the afternoon H.M.S. Gnat enters SALUM HARBOUR but is forced to withdraw after being hit three times by a shore gun. (WO 169/1701)

[fredleander]

What happened to those Brits that went ashore..?

Fred

[ClintHardware]

AFAIK no one landed - nothing about a landing in 22Gds Bde or 3rdCG or 1st DLI War Diaries. The casualties might have been from the shelling or the subsequent assault. So it would be good to know what the German text says word by word.

[Urmel]

I'll provide a translation later.

Note the 45 losses were Germans, the Germans claimed 3 British POW taken.

Note that other elements present were reinforced AA3, Italian forces under Colonel Montemurro, and presumably other odds and sods. Overall command in the Bardia-Sollum-Capuzzo triangle under Colonel Herff, CO Rifle Rgt.115

[ClintHardware]

Here is what the 3rd Coldstream Guards had to say:

RaidOnSollum15th16thApril1941.pdf

(341.07 KiB) Downloaded 214 times

[Urmel]

Great read, thanks! Love the last observation. Also good to see that the MIA and POW reported are congruent, i.e. 3 POW reported by the Germans, 5 MIA by 3 Coldstream Guards (of whom 2 then must be Missing Presumed Killed).

[Urmel]

By the way Julian, do you have anything relating to the action on 20 April?

[ClintHardware]

I have the War Diaries. I will have a look tomorrow and let you know.

[Urmel]

Got it:

http://www.combinedops.com/Bardia_North_Africa.htm

[fredleander]

Got it:

http://www.combinedops.com/Bardia_North_Africa.htm

Thank you, that answers my previous question.

Fred

[Urmel]

Well no, since it was a different operation.

To wit, on 15/16 April the Germans thought there was a landing attempt, but there wasn't (my guess is they mistook HMS Aphis entering the harbour as a landing attempt). Force involved were from 22 Guards Brigade.

On 19/20 there was a landing attempt, and part of the force that landed was captured. Force involved were from Layforce.

[fredleander]

Aah, I see - thank you! The more for the worse.

Fred

[ClintHardware]

Hi All

I revisited this action and found the patrol details that might have led to the decision to raid the barracks with the 3rd Coldstream Guards. The first diary entry is from 2nd Support Group (still code named IDEK) outside Tobruk and under Brigadier Gott's command and about to change its designation to Mobile Force.

Quote from my book begins:

The 2nd Support Group (IDEK) Intelligence Summary of information to 1800 hours 15th April, noted the action by the 1st D.L.I. attacking a position close to Sollum Barracks:

2nd Support Group
During the night 14/15 April a patrol of the DLI rushed an enemy post 700 yds NE of SALLUM barracks and inflicted casualties. An officer and two ORs were captured. There was probably not over a company at the barracks, their armaments included a high proportion of light automatics, “flaming footballs” and probably 2 pdrs. (A diary on one of the prisoners gave the following time table: Mar 20 left (?) FISCHBURG; 23rd arr NAPLES; April 2 dep NAPLES; TRIPOLI arr April 4 dep April 5; BENGASI April 7; DERNA April 10; EGYPT April 13). Prisoners stated they were of 15 Div.
(WO 169/1159)

1st Durham Light Infantry
2030 Patrol of ‘D’ Coy (Major H. E. Fox-Davies. 2 L/T. Oliver and 12 men) climbed escarpment and reached BARRACKS at SALUM HILL. Enemy brought down defensive fire on fixed lines. Patrol inflicted certain number of casualties on the enemy, captured 3 prisoners and withdrew safely. Major H. E. Fox-Davies slightly wounded by hand grenade. (WO 169/1713)

I think this patrol indicated that the barracks might be a not so difficult way to get the 3CG "blooded" at little cost.