Operation Crusader 1941

The battle for point 204 December 13^th -14^th 15^th 1941


This year marks the 67^th anniversary of the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1>Battle</st1> </st1:city>of point 204, during the WW2 campaign of operation Crusader. This Particular battle does not appear to be mentioned in many history books as it was a defeat for the British forces with over 500 casualties.

The WW2 Forces Network South East living history group held a 2 minute silence in memory of those who fell

For more information on this battle please feel free to visit our website

http://ww2forcesnetworkse.bravehost.com./

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Gazala -
The whole of the Battle "Crusader" was a disaster and saw the end of the Commander Lt.Gen Ritchie, who had been promoted by Auchinlek over the head of all the rest of the Corps Commanders leading to the resignation of Godwin- Austin !

The main battle was of course at the Airfield of Sidi Rizegh when Jock Campbell won his V.C.

The losses at Sid Rizegh were enough to fall back once more The whole of that main battle is told by V Barrie Pitt in his "The Crucible of War " Vol one ISBN1-55778- 232 -6

The crusder battle takes up 110 pages and the book can probably be found at your local library.

Cheers

 

Sidi Rezegh & Trigh Capuzzo:

 

<v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" o="">FAO Kuno</v:shapetype> - <v:shapetype stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" o="">attached are 3 maps, any help you can offer would be most appreciated</v:shapetype>

 

@ Gazalah204;

your mentioned "point 204" is shown on the first map (left), correct? Give me some time to check it out. I must admit, that I probably never stood on top of point 204 but it could be that I have been quite close to it and could therefore give you some impresison about the environment in general.

It seems that sooner or later I would have to go to Tobruk again to check some points there...

 

Welcome Gazala204 - are you based in Kent?

 

Good subject matter gents delighted to see it.
From that benchmark series "the World at War" I was always moved by O'Connor's comments that he blamed himself for not having been stronger in protesting the diversion of British troops to Greece - he viewed it as a lost opportunity to have thrown the Axis out of Africa and perhaps still have left a window of opportunity to render help afterwards to the Greeks.
certainly I tip my hat to anyone who served in North Africa , Allied or Axis.
As a comparative new comer myself , welcome Gazala204.

 

My Grandfather was involved in the action at Point 204 as a member of the 31st Field Regiment RA. The following text has been taken from the application for the battle honour "Alem Hamza" to be granted to 42 Light Air Defence Battery, the successor of 105/119 Battery which was part of the 31st Field Regiment.

There are numerous instances of panzer versus 25 pdr actions in the earlier part of the Western Desert campaign, in many of which, great gallantry was shown by the gunners. In the early days the panzers would close in on the guns and as a result were frequently badly mauled before being beaten off. They soon began to learn their lesson however and later tended to stand off and subject the gun lines to withering tank and machine gun fire, frequently supported by SP, field artillery and 88 mm fire, before moving in. The action at Alem Hamza was one of these occasions.

The use of the 25 pdr as an anti tank gun was becoming increasingly costly at this time; on this occasion the cost was twenty three guns and very many casualties. Alarming also was the fact that those personnel not immediately killed or wounded during the course of the action, were all too vulnerable to capture, especially when the panzer attack, as at Alem Hamza, was followed up by lorried infantry. It is indeed surprising under the circumstances that so many escaped

The Battery and indeed the whole of the Buffs column had been placed in a very difficult position. Their deployment area was not selected for ease of defence but simply as a leaguer area before continuing the advance, which everybody, from the Brigade Commander downwards, confidently expected to proceed on the next day. In fact what had actually happened was that the column, unknowingly, had pierced the junction between two of the Italian Divisions holding the Gazala Line; the German Command decided that this thrust was too dangerous to accept, even if there was the intention of an early German withdrawal.

They therefore assembled an extremely strong force and destroyed what they thought was the spearhead of the attack a formation which they believed to be of brigade strength. This belief stemmed not purely from intelligence sources but also from the fight put up by the column.

The Germans were obviously intent on following up their success at Point 204, and perhaps sweeping through the remainder of the brigade deployed to the south of the Alem Hamza ridge. That they were unable to do so stems, in no little measure, from the fact that one of the supporting lorried infantry battalions was unable to make any headway against the gun defences at Point 204 and only arrived on the position in time to mop up what remained of the column.

It is very possible that the fight put up by the Gunners of 105/119 Field Battery, became the turning point of the Gazala Line Battle. Because the Attack Group of 15 Panzer Division was unable to exploit their success at Point 204, this final German thrust was blunted and within 24hours they withdrew from the Gazala Line. This withdrawal did not end until they were out of Cyrenaica.
I thought I would add to this post as has already been mentioned above there has been little published about this battle. This is only the conclusion of the application for the battle honour, I can add more detailed account of the 15th December 1941 if people are interested.

Nick

 

Nick -
It is certainly true to state that for the actions of an Artillery battery and the actions of a few at point 204 saved the day at that time.

It should also be recalled that at that time the British held to the concept that the objective was to eliminate Rommels Tanks with our Tanks - this was an erroneous concept which Rommel had already dumped as far back as St Valery as Artillery stopped Tanks.

Rommel was much more flexible than we were and had the best tactics of wiping out our Tanks by having his MK3 & 4's fire afew shots at ours - then turn away and run back - we followed - and were blasted by this 75's and 88mm's - we took quite a while to learn that lesson - meanwhile he was eliminating the Sth Africa bdes on Totensonntag - then the 150 Bde at Gazala - Ritchie was fired - Godwin Austin resigned - Auchinlek took what was left back to El Alamein - then Monty took over and twigged Rommel at Alum el Halfa..and the last battle he ever won was at Kassrine in Tunisia before he was fired after Medenine...
Cheers

 

Gazala -
The whole of the Battle "Crusader" was a disaster and saw the end of the Commander Lt.Gen Ritchie, who had been promoted by Auchinlek over the head of all the rest of the Corps Commanders leading to the resignation of Godwin- Austin !

I find it difficult to agree with this view. CRUSADER was certainly not the success it could have been or was expected to be (far from it), but it came very very close to annihilating the Axis forces in North Africa. Ritchie did of course survive the operation despite being rather uninspired, and Godwin-Austen (who I think should have been promoted to commander in January 41) only resigned after Ritchie made his position impossible during the Axis counter-offensive, i.e. about two months after Ritchie was appointed.

The main battle was of course at the Airfield of Sidi Rizegh when Jock Campbell won his V.C.

And the breakout from Tobruk, and the attempted encirclement of the New Zealanders, and the battles between Christmas and New Year at the Uadi al Faregh, and the end of the siege of Bardia (first German general to surrender his command to a Commonwealth formation in WW2).

It is a fascinating battle, with many many misconceptions about it.

Another book dealing with it is "CRUSADER - 8th Armies Forgotten Victory" by Richard Humble. A number of errors in that one, but still a decent day-by-day overview. It doesn't cover the counter-attack in January.

All the best

Andreas

 

Hi
My father Alfred Hackett was a gunner in 31st Regiment RA and was captured on 15th December 1941 when his gun was blown up. If you have more detailed information about the action that day I would appreciate it.
Regards
Nigel Hackett

 

Hi Nigel and welcome to the forum.

I have a couple of detailed accounts of the action at Point 204 on the 15th December 1941, if you pm me with your e-mail address I will forward them to you.

It may also be worth you trying to get hold of a copy of 31st Field Regiment RA: A Record by Owen Roberts, if you do not have it already.

Regards,

Nick

 

Hi Nigel and welcome to the forum.

I have a couple of detailed accounts of the action at Point 204 on the 15th December 1941, if you pm me with your e-mail address I will forward them to you.

It may also be worth you trying to get hold of a copy of 31st Field Regiment RA: A Record by Owen Roberts, if you do not have it already.

Regards,

Nick
Hi Nick

Thanks for your email. I managed to obtain a copy of the 31st Field Regiment RA: A Record by Owen Roberts last month. I only wish my dad could have read it as it would have answered a lot of questions. The 15th December 1941 was a date that changed his life.

If you have other information I would apprciate it. My email is ***


Best wishes

Nigel

 

Andreas -
Sorry I missed your post of 1 -11-2009 wherein you disagreed with my contention that Galaza of Nov '41 was a disaster - I suppose it all depends on your definition of the word "disaster" as mine is quite clear -

when you lose most of your armour - have divisions being ultra slow in obeying orders - having a brigade HQ captured - another bde being wiped out along with remnants of two others - the objective of relieving Tobruk having failed with great losses -the Commander of the Army being replaced by a junior - the armour such as it was being replaced by Infantry -and the senior corps commanders sucking it all up until the situation was stabilised some two months later when the senior corps commander - having been proven right - tendered his resignation !

The capture of Von Ravenstein was small compensation- for such a set back !
Cheers

 

Ah but Tom, you have to look at both sides of the equation. Yes, it wasn't neat, pretty, or cheap, but it was nowhere near the disaster of Gazala/Tobruk 42. The Axis got well and truly hammered, the Germans felt the impact into Russia, and without the help of the Japanese the Axis forces in North Africa could well have been finished.

So I'm afraid it really doesn't fit my definition of a disaster.

Hope you had a good Christmas!

All the best

Andreas

 

ASndreas -
Thank you - I had a very good christmas as our Daughter made it from London in good time to get over her jet lag and join in the festivities ......somwhere along the line - we have our wires crossed as I was telling the tale of Ritchie's demise along with Godwin Austen which means the 1942 battle of Gazala which - you now agree was a major disaster with the loss of 50th Div's 150 bde - 4th bde et al- so typo's obviously abound

Cheers

 

Here is a bit of info on the precursor to the battle of Point 204 on 15 December, the battle for Point 204 on 13 December, in this case 25 Field Regiment and (confusingly) 31 Battery.

First Taste of Gazala – 13 Dec 41 « The Crusader Project

All the best

Andreas

 

Nick,

I've just joined the forum because I'm researching the background to my father's experience with 31st Field Regiment in 1941. He was 2nd Lt Owen Walton, and was with the 118 (or possibly 105/119) battery at Alem Hamza. I have his handwritten diary from 1941, in which he writes:

13th Dec

Moved forward slowly. Raj R captured about 800 prisoners. We fired a few rounds.

14th Dec

Moved forward again. Attacked by tanks. David Turner killed, Wright wounded. Gun position heavily shelled. Bob wounded. Tanks attacked again. Hit in thigh did not penetrate. 8 casualties. 'A' troop lost their guns. Nearest shell about 2 yards. Leaguered for night.

15th Dec / 16th Dec

Came into action at first light. Discovered enemy 2000 yards away. Shot on them from guns. Replied with mortar and machine guns. Hit in the arm not serious. 2 men killed. Attacked by 30 tanks again in afternoon. D & E troops wiped out. Troop shot up from 3 sides. Managed to get 4 guns on wheels. Doing no3, on gun when shell hit, only one left alive on gun. 3 guns hit by tanks when moving. Drove away in K car punctured wheel I was driving direct hit through back killing 2. Sgt Mansfield dead beside me. Harry Hall hit, car out of action. Lay doggo in scrub while tanks passed by. Looted camp bed to carry Capt Hall. Set off walking at 4pm; Ridley, BSM Julian, Gnr Whitley. Moore (blind) (illegible - looks like Ferris)) carried Capt Hall 5 miles. Arrived 5th IBHQ (Indian Brigade HQ) 2 am, dead beat. Only 1 gun and 200 men of Regt left. Major missing, only May, Kidd, myself left. All 105 battery officers missing. Reorganised remains into one battery. Arm not too bad. Received 6 guns, trying to form two 4 gun troops. Only 30 men of B troop left. 2 letters from Gladys 29/9 and 6/10.



17th Dec

Went forward on OP. Enemy retreating. Followed up in afternoon, passed old position. Germans had not buried the dead but all wounded taken away. Travelled 30 miles over rough ground.

18th Dec

Continued our advance now no opposition. Supporting Punjabs. Leaguered for the night. Regiment, Buffs, 4th Indian Div mentioned on the wireless.

I have more, which I'll happily share, but I'd appreciate any more information on the events of that battle. I have many more detailed questions, but let's take it a step at a time.

Ian

 

Hello Ian and welcome to the forum.

Thank you for adding your father's diary entries, I have copies of the war diaries for 105/109 Bty,116/118 Bty and 31st Fld Regt for that period. I will have a look through them later and post anything of interest.

Regards

Nick