164 Light (Afrika) Division – Box 007

I originally built 164 Lt Afrika Division with German Trucks and attached 2cm Flak from 609 Abteilung

Coming across a snippet on one of the many WWII Forums (Fora?) that 164 Light (Afrika) Division arrived in theatre without any transport sent me back to my NQM division to re-evaluate it. The Division was shipped from Crete, where it had been building fortifications, less its 440 Infantry Regiment. It collected 125 Panzer Grenadier Regiment, which had been fighting in Africa since the start of the campaign. The division acquired transport by helping itself to captured British stocks.

As I had equipped the three regiments with Opel Blitz trucks, it made sense to just swap them with trucks from the British boxes, which now have some captured trucks of their own. I had to root about a bit to find enough open-backed trucks to do this, but here they are. I kept some Blitzs for 125 Regiment, reasoning that they were already in theatre, so probably already had German transport :

Box 025 164 Lt Afrika showing captured British trucks

“The 125 Regiment was disbanded in January 1943. The other 2 regiments got the remaining men of 125. 382nd Panzergrenadier Regiment had just 2 battalions, the 433rd had the normal 3 battalions. Artillery Regiment 220, had just 2 Abteilungen and 1 (schw) battery.

Panzeraufklärungsabteilung 220 [Recce] (renamed 164 in spring 1943) had 5 companies:
1. Komp Panzerspäh (Recce)
2. Komp : Aufklärungs,Kradschützen and SPW platoons
3. Komp : Heavy company
4. Komp : Stug-battery
5. Komp : Stab und versorgungs Kompanie

Flakbatterie mot 220 consisted of 4 8.8cm Flak*

Panzerjägerabteilung 220 : 3 Pzjg Komp ( of which one was added 1-43, consisting of pak auf Skoda-chassis) and 1 Flak Komp auf SFL

Pionierbatallion 220 : 3 Pio Komp, 1 Schwere Werfer Zug (mot)”

EricV on https://www.feldgrau.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3677 accessed 17/11/22 (corrected for German grammar, spelling and unit designation consistency). Unfortunately, Eric does not cite his source, but cites two battalions each for 125 and 382 Regiments, and three for 433. The orbat suggests that 220 Pioneer Battalion had a heavy (Nebel)werfer platoon. I have found nothing to suggest that this equipment was taken to North Africa, much less that it was ever used operationally.

*Interestingly, Bender and Law (1973) give the following orbat, which may be where the 8.8cm Flak comes from in 609 Flak Battalion:

“Divisional Staff 125th (mot) Panzer Grenadier Regiment

382nd (mot) Panzer Grenadier Regiment

433rd (mot) Panzer Grenadier Regiment

707th Heaviest Infantry Gun Company (150mm IG guns)

708th Heaviest Infantry Gun Company (150mm IG guns)

220nd (mot) Artillery Regiment

609th (mot) Flak Battalion

220th (mot) Panzer Pioneer Battalion

220th (mot) Reconnaissance Battalion

220th (mot) Signals Company

220th (mot) Medical Company

220th (mot) Ambulance Platoon

220th (mot) Maintenance Company

220th (mot) Divisional Supply Detachment

220th (mot) Bakery Company

220th (mot) Butcher Company

220th (mot) Administration Bureau

220th (mot) Military Police Detachment

220th (mot) Field Post Office”

Bender, R.J., & Law, R.D., Uniforms, Organization and History of the Afrikakorps, R.J.Bender, Publisher, USA, 1973.

This .pdf commenting on Rommel’s command style, offers a clue to the nebulous and shifting German orbats at the time : https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/36736361.pdf It is a long, but interesting read if you have an hour to spare.

Nierhorster shows 609 Flakbatallion at Army level armed with 2cm Flak on 23 Oct 1942, 220 Artillery Regiment: 12 x 10.5cm howitzer, 8 7.5cm Mountain Gun, with no mention of 8.8cm Flak

He gives 220 Panzerjager Abteilung as being wheeled with 5cm towed guns and all three regiments being wheeled (125, 382 and 433).

http://www.niehorster.org/011_germany/42-oob/42-10-23/div_afr_164.html accessed 17/11/22.

Nafziger (2000, pp. 176-177) gives the orbat for the invasion of Greece as 5cm Pak.

609 Flak Abteilung was attached to 164 Light (Afrika) Division in August 1942, and later in 1943 to 21^st Panzer Division in Tunisia, (uncredited post on Feldgrau)

Feldgrau gives this helpful summary of designations (corrected for German grammar, spelling and unit designation consistency. Note that Batallion is correct for German spelling):

“LUFTWAFFE =
> le. (or leichte) Flak-Abt.
> gem. (or gemischte) Flak-Abt.
> s. (or schwere) Flak-Abt.

HEERES =

H (or Heeres) Flak (or Flakartillerie)-Abt.
Fla-Bataillon (or Btn.)

Elsewhere in Feldgrau, one post gives the 600 series battalions as Army (Heer) units. I have elected to show all 8.8cm Flak as present only at Army level for NQM CSO (Corps-scale) orbats. There were only a few of them, and Wehrmacht lower-level Flak aimed to be self-propelled. Of course, that does not necessarily mean that they always achieved their aim.

Model Indices – Down the Rabbit Hole

For some while now, I have been cataloguing my model collection independently of the Box Index. It is live on the side bar. Be warned that if you head down this particular rabbit hole, the minutes of your life that you spend there, you will never get back.

The index serves as a (lack of) painting log as much as anything else, and is tucked away on the sidebar so as not to get in the way of the main blog.

As a foretaste, I realised that I had three battle-hardened Sd Kfz 10/4s with  2 cm FlaK 30 scattered across various boxes. Whilst the vehicles performed rather well against the Soviets, their crews had languished in an undercoated state on a lollipop stick for more years than was sensible. Here they are, catalogued and stuck to their gun decks at last. Yay me!

 

Panzer Marsch!

It is some time since 15th and 21st Panzer Divisions shook out into march formation on the desert sands. Here is progress to date as they form up ready to attack:

New additions to 15th Panzer Division include a new SdKfz 10/4 at bottom right protecting the divisional headquarters and an SdKfz 11 towing the 7.62cm PaK 38 (r) at top left. My SdKfz 250/10 is now in the gepanzert grenadier battalion at middle left.

Similarly,  21st Panzer Division sports a new SdKfz 10/4 at bottom right  and an SdKfz 11 towing the 7.62cm PaK 38 (r) at top left. The gepanzert grenadier battalion at middle left has a new SdKfz 250/11, with a 250/3 for the regimental commander.

3 Chenillettes are still standing in for limbers and an ambulance.

MMModels.uk

A nice fellow called Stewart up in Scotland produces some j0lly useful models for operational wargamers – Radio vehicles, staff cars, fire tenders, cranes, tank transporters and what-not. He is quite open about the fact that he primarily produces these for his own use, with excess for sale, and that they are wargames quality.

The  barely undercoated Mercedes Benz staff car and Opel Blitz Radio Truck are MMModels. They look the part even with my perfunctory modelling skills. The crew are Piggies and Forged in Battle. So is the SdKfz 10/4 2cm 30

The prices reflect this and give reasonable value in terms of quality, which is patchy, but excellent value if the models are on your bucket list. You will have to do a fair amount of work in terms of filing, shimming and filling, but nothing that should daunt a moderately competent modeller*, and I applaud Stewart in running a garage kit operation to make these models available.

It is obvious from the castings that  components from model railway cars form the basis of some of the kits, but they are none the worse for that. If this review seems like faint praise, it isn’t. I am genuinely impressed that someone is offering kits of niche interest in 15mm and plan to order more as soon as I have this lot in service. He even has a proper Anhänger 116 – how cool is that?

Although models are made to order, my batch of 10 or so pieces was all in stock and came impressively quickly. Be prepared to wait though if you decide perhaps that you need enough landing craft to fill a display table. However, with this blog’s small but *ahem* discerning band of followers, I don’t expect there to be a sudden rush of orders. As usual, these new acquisitions have just enough factory paint to reach service. Allied stuff to follow.

 * I wish I was one such *sigh*

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

Bright Green and Bright Blue Items do not appear in NQM CSO Orbat

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), or 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 (E1), 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 (C3)
    
  • III Motorcycle Battalion (Later II Motorised) Comd m/c or Car + (C3), 2 m/c + MG m/c (FS3)
  • V and XII Motorised Battalions 4/2 Trucks** (L3), 2 [ Bn Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2 [ 3 Rifles (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 – 4/2 Truck (L3), 2/1 [ Regt Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2 [ 3 Rifles (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  4/2 Truck (L3), 2/1 [ Regt Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2 [ 3 Rifles (F3)]

• 66th Infantry Regiment  4/2 Truck (L3), 2/1 [ Regt Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2 [ 3 Rifles (F3)]
• 9th Bersaglieri Regiment 4/2 Truck (L3), 2/1 [ Regt Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2 [ 3 Rifles (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), 2cm Flak Truck (S3) Ambulance Truck (L3), Armd Car (L3)

Deutches Afrika Korps

Generalleutnant Ludwig Crüwell

Comd car (C3), Signals Truck [or captured Dorchester] (C3), 2cm 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), 21cm Gun (S2)

• DAK 605 Panzerjäger Abteilung (Battalion)* [To 90 Lt Div] – Panzerjäger 1b 4.7cm (S3)[1941 onwards] or Diane SdKfz 6 [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), 2cm 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), 2cm Flak Truck (S3), Ammo Truck (L3), POL Truck (L3), Engineer truck (L3), 2 Engineer (E1)

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

• 115th Infantry Regiment Comd SdKfz 250, 251 or 263 (C3), 2 Comd car (1 may be an Sdkfz 250 or 251) (C3), 3.7cm Pak (S3) + Limber (L3), 2/1 Sdkfz 251 (F3), 2/1 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), 2cm Flak Truck (S3), Engineer truck (L3), 2 Engineer stands (E1), Ammo Truck (L3), POL Truck (L3),  Ambulance Sdkfz 251 (L3).

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

• 104th Infantry Regiment  Comd Sdkfz 250, 251 or 263 (CF3), 2 Comd car (1 may be an Sdkfz 250 or 251) (CF3), 3.7cm Pak (S3) + Limber (L3), 2/1 Sdkfz 251 (F3), 2/1 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 ‘Afrika‘ Division from 28 November 1941) (Generalmajor Max Sümmermann until 10 December (killed in action), then Generalmajor Richard Veith)

Comd car (C3), Signals Truck (C3), 2cm Flak Truck (S3), Ammo Truck (L3), POL Truck (L3), Engineer Truck (L3), 2 Engineer (E1)

• 155th Infantry Regiment 3 Comd car (C3), 37mm Pak (S3), 2 81mm Mortar (s3), 2 Truck mounted Rifles (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).
• *605 Panzerjäger Abteilung {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 (E1), Autoblinda 41 (R3)

• 15th Infantry Regiment 4/2 Truck (L3), 2/1 [ Regt Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (C3)], 2/1 [ 3 Rifles (F3)]
  
• 16th Infantry Regiment 4/2 Truck (L3), 2/1 [ Regt Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (C3)], 2/1 [ 3 Rifles (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 Battalion – Semovente 75/18 (S3),or  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  2/1 [ Regt Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (C3)], 2/1 [ 3 Rifles (F3)]
  
• 28th Infantry Regiment  2/1 [ Regt Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (C3)], 2/1 [ 3 Rifles (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  2/1 [ Regt Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2/1 [ 3 Rifles (F3)]
  
  
• 40th Infantry Regiment  2/1 [ Regt Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2/1 [ 3 Rifles (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  2/1 [ Regt Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2/1 [ 3 Rifles (F3)]
  
• 20th Infantry Regiment  2/1 [ Regt Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (CS3)], 2/1 [ 3 Rifles (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  4/2 Truck (L3), 2/1 [ Regt Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (C3)], 2/1 [ 3 Rifles (F3)]
  
• 62nd Infantry Regiment  4/2 Truck (L3), 2/1 [ Regt Comd + MG + 45mm Mortar (C3)], 2/1 [ 3 Rifles (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