Gazala – Axis Forces

German and Italian forces

Supreme Commander North Africa: General Ettore Bastico

Model of a a comfortable hotel somewhere in TRIPOLI with a grand balcony for reviewing parades*.

Italian Mobile Army (XX) Corps

Lieutenant-General Gastone Gambara  Comd car (C3), Signals Truck (C3), 20mm Flak Truck (S3), Ambulance Truck (L3), 

Signature Corps Troops

(from amalgamating troops that appear in divisions in small numbers)

Mixed AA Battalion – Cannone da 90/53 (S3) + limber (L3), 20/65 modello 35(S3) + limber (L3) (both may be self-propelled)

Artillery Battalion – Comd (C3),  FOO (R1), 100mm Howitzer (S3) + limber (L3)

Anti-tank Battalion – Semovente 75/18 (S3), Semovente 47/32 (S3) [these may each have an SP L6 or M40 limber (L3)]

Armoured Bersaglieri Recce Battalion – Autoblinda AB 41 (R3)

• 132 Armoured Division Ariete (General Mario Balotta) Comd car (C3), Signal van (C3), 20mm Flak Truck (S3), Ammo Truck (L3), POL Truck (L3), Engineer Truck (L3), 2 Engineer (F3), Autoblinda 41 (R3)

• 132nd Armoured Regiment –  Comd car (C3)
  • VII Tank Battalion – M13/41 (F3)
  • VIII Tank Battalion – M13/41 (F3)
  • IX Tank Battalion – M11/39 (F3)

• • 32nd Light Armoured Regiment – L6/39 (F3)

• • 8th Bersaglieri Regiment (Motorised) – Comd car + Mortar + 47mm Atk (CS3)
    
  • III Motorcycle Battalion (Later II Motorised) Comd m/c or Car + (C3), 2 m/c + MG m/c (FS3)
  • V and XII Motorised Battalions 4 Trucks** (L3), 2 [ Bn Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2 [ 3Rifles (F3)]
    

• • 132nd Artillery Regiment – Comd Car (C3), FOO (R1), 75/25 Gun (S3) + Limber (L3)

• 

• 133 Armoured Division Littorio, Major General Gervasio Bitossi– Comd car (C3), Signal van (C3), 20mm Flak Truck (S3), Ammo Truck (L3), POL Truck (L3), Engineer Truck (L3), 2 Engineer (F3), Autoblinda 41 (R3)
  • 133rd Tank Regiment – Comd Car (C3), M13/41 (F3), M11/39 (F3)
  • 12th Bersaglieri Infantry Regiment – 4 Truck (L3), 2 [ Bn Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2 [ 3Rifles (F3)]
  • 3rd Artillery Regiment – Comd Car (C3), FOO (R1), 75/25 Gun (S3) + Limber (L3)
  • 133rd Artillery Regiment (part) – (see corps troops)
  • 3rd Tank Group Lancieri di Novara – L6/39 (F3)

• 

• 101 Motorised Division Trieste – As 132 Armd Div Ariete.

• 65th Infantry Regiment  4 Truck (L3), 2 [ Bn Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2 [ 3Rifles (F3)]

• 66th Infantry Regiment  4 Truck (L3), 2 [ Bn Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2 [ 3Rifles (F3)]
• 9th Bersaglieri Regiment 4 Truck (L3), 2 [ Bn Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2 [ 3Rifles (F3)]
  
• 21st Artillery Regiment  Comd car (C3), FOO (R1), Truck Limber (L3), 105mm Gun (S3), Light Truck Limber (L3), 47mm PaK [may be Semovente L/40 da 47/32] (s3), Limber (L3)
  

• RECAM (Reconnaissance Unit of the Mobile Army Corps)  Saharina (R3)

Panzer Gruppe Afrika

General der Panzertruppe Erwin Rommel

Comd car or SdKfz 250 [Greif] (C3), Signals Truck [or captured Dorchester] (C3), 20mm Flak Truck (S3) Ambulance Truck (L3), Armd Car (L3)

Deutches Afrika Korps

Generalleutnant Ludwig Crüwell

Comd car (C3), Signals Truck [or captured Dorchester] (C3), 20mm Flak Truck (S3) Ambulance Truck (L3), Armd Car (R3)

• 33 and 3 Motorcycle Battalions DAK 6 M/Cs or M/C combos @ R1

• DAK Artillery –  Comd car or SdKfz (C3), FOO (R1), Sdkfz 7 Limber (L3), 210mm Gun (S2)

• DAK 605 Panzerjaeger Abteilung(Battalion)* [To 90 Lt Div] – Panzerjaeger 1b 4.7cm (S3)[1941 onwards] or Diane Sdkfz6 [1942], limber (L3), Pak 36(r) (S2), Limber (L2)
  

• DAK 606 Flak Abteilung – SdKfz 10/4 2cm 30 (S2), SdKfz 10 limber (L2)
  

• 33rd/II Luftwaffe Flak Abteilung –  Flak 8.8cm (s2), SdKfz 7 limber (L2), 20mm Flak 38 L/113 (S2), SdKfz 10 limber (L2)

• Grosstransportraum – Famo SdKfz 9 limber (L3), Sonder Anhänger 116 (L3),  a variable number of trucks, Axis and captured
  

• 15th Panzer Division (Generalmajor Walter Neumann-Silkow until 6 December (killed in action), then Generalmajor Gustav von Vaerst) Comd car (C3), Signals Sdkfz 222, 232 or 263  (C3), 20mm Flak Truck (S3), Ammo Truck (L3), POL Truck (L3), Engineer truck (L3), 2 Engineer (F2)

• 8th Panzer Regiment Comd PzII (CF3), 4 PzIII*** (F3)

• 115th Infantry Regiment Comd Sdkfz 250, 251 or 263 (CF3), 2 Comd car (1 may be an Sdkfz 250 or 251) (CF3), 37mm Pak (S3) + Limber (L3), 2 Sdkfz 251 (F3), 2 Truck (F3).
  

• 33rd Artillery Regiment {Comd Saurer Sdkfz 254 or Sdkfz 253 (C3)}, FOO (R1), {Sdkfz 11 (or 6) Limber (L3) + 10.5cm Gun (S3)}, {PaK 38 (r) 7.62cm or PaK 38 5cm (S3) + Sdkfz 11 (or 10) Limber (L3)}.

• 21st Panzer Division (Generalmajor Johann von Ravenstein until 29 November (prisoner of war), then Generalmajor Karl Böttcher) Comd car (C3), Signals Sdkfz 222 or 232 [or captured Dorchester or SdKfz 263] (C3), 20mm Flak Truck (S3), Engineer truck (L3), 2 Engineer stands (F2), Ammo Truck (L3), POL Truck (L3),  Ambulance Sdkfz 251 (L3).

• 5th Panzer Regiment Comd PzII [or PzIII] (F3), 3 PzIII*** (F3), 1 PzIV (F3)
  

• 104th Infantry Regiment  Comd Sdkfz 250, 251 or 263 (CF3), 2 Comd car (1 may be an Sdkfz 250 or 251) (CF3), 37mm Pak (S3) + Limber (L3), 2 Sdkfz 251 (F3), 2 Truck (F3).
• 155th Artillery Regiment Comd  Sdkfz 253 (C3), FOO (R1), {Sdkfz 11 (or 6) Limber (L3) + Lorraine Schlepper  15cm (S3)}, {PaK 38 (r) 7.62cm or PaK 38 5cm (S3) + Sdkfz 11 (or 10) Limber (L3)}.
  

• Special Purpose Division Afrika

(Renamed 90th Light Africa Division from 28 November 1941) (Generalmajor Max Sümmermann until 10 December (killed in action), then Generalmajor Richard Veith)

Comd car (C3), Signals Truck (C3), 20mm Flak Truck (S3), Ammo Truck (L3), POL Truck (L3), Engineer Truck (L3), 2 Engineer (F2)

• 155th Infantry Regiment 3 Comd car (C3), 37mm Pak (S3), 2 81mm Mortar (s3), 2 Truck (F3), 2 Truck (S3)
  
• 361st Infantry Regiment  Comd Sdkfz 250, 251 or 263 (CF3), 2 Comd car (1 may be an Sdkfz 250 or 251) (CF3), 37mm Pak (S3) + Limber (L3), 2 Sdkfz 251 (F3), 2 Truck (F3).
• *Panzerjaeger Abteilung 605 {Panzerjäger Ib 4.7cm[1941 onwards] or Diane Sdkfz6 [1942](S3)}, limber (L3), Pak 36(r) (S2), Limber (L2)
  

• Schwere Schützen-Regiment 155 /200   SiG 33 (S1) + Limber (L1) or just make the SiG 33 (S2)
  

*** For variety, instead of 4 PzIIIs, 1 PzII, 2 PzIIIs and 1 Pz 4 could be modelled, counting them all as medium tanks.

• 55th North African Infantry Division ‘Savona’ (General Fedele de Giorgis) Comd car (C3), Signal van (C3),  Ammo Truck (L3), POL Truck (L3), Engineer Truck (L3), 2 Engineer (F3), Autoblinda 41 (R3)

• 15th Infantry Regiment 4 Truck (L3), 2 [ Bn Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2 [ 3Rifles (F3)]
  
• 16th Infantry Regiment 4 Truck (L3), 2 [ Bn Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2 [ 3Rifles (F3)]
• 12th Artillery Regiment Comd car (C3), FOO (R1), Truck Limber (L3), 105mm Gun (S3), Light Truck Limber (L3), 47mm Pak (S3)

Italian XXI Corps

Lieutenant-General Enea Navarrini   Comd car (C3), Signal van (C3), Ambulance (L3), Armoured Car (R3)

Signature Corps Troops

(from amalgamating troops that appear in divisions in small numbers)

Mixed AA Battalion – Cannone da 90/53 (S3) + limber (L3), 20/65 modello 35(S3) + limber (L3) 

Artillery Battalion – Comd (C3),  1 FOO (R1), 100mm Howitzer (S3) + limber (L3)

Anti-tank Batalion – Semovente 75/18 (S3), Semovente 47/32 (S3), 2 Limbers (L3) (both may be towed guns with limber)

This 20mm CV33 is standing in as an L6 or M40 limber for the 15mm Semovente until a better one comes along.

• 17 North African Infantry Division Pavia   Comd car (C3), Signal van (C3),  Ammo Truck (L3), POL Truck (L3), Engineer Truck (L3), 2 Engineer (F3), Autoblinda 41 (R3)

• 27th Infantry Regiment  2 [ Bn Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2 [ 3Rifles (F3)]
  
• 28th Infantry Regiment  2 [ Bn Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2 [ 3Rifles (F3)]
  
• 26th Artillery Regiment  Comd Car (C3), FOO (R1), 75/25 Gun (S3) + Limber (L3)

• 25 North African Infantry Division Bologna  Comd car (C3), Signal van (C3),  Ammo Truck (L3), POL Truck (L3), Engineer Truck (L3), 2 Engineer (F3), Autoblinda 41 (R3)

• 39th Infantry Regiment  2 [ Bn Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2 [ 3Rifles (F3)]
  
  
• 40th Infantry Regiment  2 [ Bn Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2 [ 3Rifles (F3)]
  
• 205th Artillery Regiment Comd Car (C3), FOO (R1), 75/25 Gun (S3) + Limber (L3)

• 27 North African Infantry Division Brescia  Comd car (C3), Signal van (C3),  Ammo Truck (L3), POL Truck (L3), Engineer Truck (L3), 2 Engineer (F3), Autoblinda 41 (R3)

• 19th Infantry Regiment  2 [ Bn Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2 [ 3Rifles (F3)]
  
• 20th Infantry Regiment  2 [ Bn Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2 [ 3Rifles (F3)]
  
• 55th Artillery Regiment  Comd Car (C3), FOO (R1), 75/25 Gun (S3) + Limber (L3)

• 102 Motorised Division Trento  Comd car (C3), Signal van (C3),  2cm AA truck, Ammo Truck (L3), POL Truck (L3), Engineer Truck (L3), 2 Engineer (F3), Autoblinda 41 (R3)

• 61st Infantry Regiment  4 Truck (L3), 2 [ Bn Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2 [ 3Rifles (F3)]
  
• 62nd Infantry Regiment  4 Truck (L3), 2 [ Bn Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2 [ 3Rifles (F3)]
• 46th Artillery Regiment  Comd car (C3), FOO (R1), Truck Limber (L3), 105mm Gun (S3), Light Truck Limber (L3), 47mm PaK [may be Semovente L/40 da 47/32] (S3)

* This picture is of course nothing of the sort, having a Russian, an American and several hairy Serbs or Croats crowded onto the balcony.

**Trucks: 4 small trucks each carrying 2 stands, or 2 large trucks each carrying 4 stands. APCs carry the same as a small truck – 2 stands and have an integral MG stand that can dismount in defence if the APC is not destroyed. The non-motorised battalions would draw transport from a limited army pool.

 

References

1.http://www.enotes.com/topic/Operation_Crusader_order_of_battle

 2. Greene, J. and Massignani, A. (1999). Rommel’s North Africa Campaign: September 1940-November 1942. Da Capo Press

3. This truck showcased on the Duchy of Alzheim Blog belonged to General Bergonzoli of the Centauro division and was not present at GAZALA. Even so, it would make an excellent signals truck for one of the armoured divisions.

4. by Hunter, B. (2006) Axis History forum. http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=104408

5. Thanks to Andreas from The Crusader Project (ibid) for amendments to the orbat for 33rd Artillerie Regiment

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