Ityalians defend Mechilli 5/11/41

[robot]

Mechilli Libya
5/11/1941
1100 Hours

Dam this month went by fast and here we are again goin up against the dam British again. We know from intelligence we will be facing a seasoned fighting force. Heavy with Matilda IIs and Crusaders. We were unable to get any of our tanks repaired or replaced during the past month. Enemy air has all but cut our supply from home to here.

We have once again been given assurance from the German commanders we can count on a full German company of tanks if we need them for this battle. Have been told not to wait too long to call as the terrain does not go for fast advances.

I really dont think the British armor is goin to make a big difference today. The main supply had a hell of a lot of mines sittting around doing nothing. They were able to get out to us early enough close to 100 mines. As our front is a very small area to cover we were able in some places to get a full four rows of mines laid out. Our engineers are also setting out there little supply of mines in front of our lines. Goin to be hell on the British tanks today im sure. Also we were able to get some upgrades to a few of our ATG, SPAA, and a few of our IG. All upgrades are later models and heavier mm guns.

A has been lined to the north of the road and the front objectives. B is lined up just south of the road and the front objectives maybe 250 feet.
C who did not get all there replacements and is going into the battle short has been given the south objective to guard. Do not expect the British to be too aggresive there. They were also givin some of the new artty as they may need the extra help. War is so unpredictable at times.

Right now we are sitting at 91 % battle effectivness. Just hope we dont have the same kind of battle we had last month at Msus. We are slowly getting a center of veterans just have lost too many and are still getting green replacements from home. It is starting to get very hot and there is a slight haze that is laying all over the battle field. Visability is close to 800 feet. Have given the order no one is to open up before 500 feet. This is to give our gunners a little better chance to hit something as they are not the best shots.

HQ: I Ariete Roma Legion
Col: Tito Cochelli Commanding

[robot]

Mechilli Libya
5/11/1941
1140 Hours

Over 40 minutes of fighting so far and we are doing very well. The mines are keeping the big part of there force away from our lines. Maybe three tanks have gotten thru but have been delt with very fast by our gunners. Only about 4 or 5 squads have penetrated the mine field as well. They too were taken care of in a short time.

The British appeared about 1110 hours. Since then they have been comin at us piece meal. No real concentrated push at all. Our artty has been doin a bang up job being right on target all day.

We have been subjected to a very heavy bombardment right from the start of the battle. Our noncoms have been doing a bang up job keeping the men in there holes and ready to repel the enemy. Some have gotten up and ran towards the rear but the non coms have been right on top of them and gotten most of them back in there holes. All in all it seems like this battle is already ours and we will not lose too much in the way of men or equipment today. I know that headquarters will be real pleased today.

Looks like my job will be secure for at least another month.

HQ: I Ariete Roma Legion
Col: Tito Cochelli Commanding

[robot]

Mechilli Libya
5/11/1941
1240 Hours

The British will not give up they continue to try and bust thru my minefield. There losses have to be over a 1000 men already and at least 80 tanks have been blown apart by the mines or my guns. They have sent so many tanks that even tho we were able to stop most in the minefield or with our atg some have managed to still get thru the mines. They have been able to get all the way to the center objectives and capture 2 of the hexes there. Have been unable to stop the heavy matildas with our 37mm ATG so far. Our engineers just took out one of the Matildas and our 20mm SPAA have gotten two of the Cruaders so far. But a Matilda and another Crusader are terroizing B co the ones who had the defense of the center objectives. Most of them are either running are so scared they are unable to fight back.

A in the north and C in the south have repulsed every attempt by the enemy to break thru in there respected areas. We are being constantly bombarded by the British and this has done a lot to dampen our fighting spirit. They are dropping in a lot of rounds consisting of 18LB 25Lb and 4.5 inch shells. I just wish we had so much to expend as they do. They never seem to slow down when firing there guns at us. Where we never seem to have enough ammo to last thru a whole battle.

I am proud of my men it must be hell to stand up and throw a small hand grenade at such a monster as those Matilda IIs must look like. To be down in a hole and watch as they slowly grind your way has to be pure hell on the nerves. The British even had two mine plow tanks with them which our gunners had much glee putting some rounds thru as they tried to clear the mines.

This battle is ours just dont know when yet. The british just dont know when they are beaten. But I dont see how they have much more to throw at us. No army can continue when suffering such heavy losses.

HQ: I Ariete Roma Legion
Col: Tito Cochelli Commanding

[robot]

Mechilli Libya
5/11/1941
1310 Hours

How the British were able to continue for over two hours is beyond me. We once again lost too many men and too much equipment. But we also did more damage to the enemy this time once again. We lost 256 men along with one artty piece and 24 armor units. There body count was staggering to say the least. We killed 1670 men and took out 3 artty along with 68 of there bad ass Matildas.

We are starting to get more and more veterans in our force as we are not losing as many men as the first battle. So we have less green horns coming in as replacements.

Also managed to get some upgrade replacements for some artty we lost. Got a couple of 105 SPAA in replacements. Got 4 SPATG 65mm for the old 37 mm atg we had destroyed. Also some 37mm SPAA for the old 20mm SPAA.

Still no replacements for any of the armor we lost two months ago. HQ says they have been unable to get any supply ships to us due to the air raids of the British air force.

Our orders are to prepare to move over east on the coast road 60 miles maybe from Tobruk and set up defenses at Bardia and stop the British from breaking thru to Tobruk. Hq has sent word that the battle at Mechilli was a major victory for our side and have commended our unit. I believe the actual wording was a decisive victory for our side. Glory to Rome and to our homeland Italy.

HQ: I Ariete Roma Legion
Col: Tito Cochelli Commanding