Turn 56 - Axis Turn
21st June 1941
Just what do the Italians have left? Wavell is about to find out....
It looks like Tobruk is in for some fun. Five crossed sword motifs appear, one on each hex + the navy. The attack on the navy task force sees 18% losses to the Axis and only 13% to the Allies. The other four land hexes are hit with 16% losses in total.
Back to Sidi Omar and there is an attack against the British armour southeast of the airfield. The 7th RTR are forced into a retreat but the 1st RTR holds its ground and the Italians are repulsed with 19% losses (vs 2%).
As hoped, the Bologna Division move north from Fort Maddelenna. Units from all three divisions then make a concerted effort against the 3rd Indian Motor Brigade. The attack is beaten off and the stubbornly brave Indian troops hold fast, incurring 20% losses, but having dished out 27%.
The Italians try and fight back at Bardia but the artillery barrage is weak. Tobruk's four hexes come under close scrutiny yet again; however the toll makes grim reading for the Desert Fox. 11% loss caused, but 6% taken in reply..... South of Sidi Omar the Italians are not finished yet. Infantry, tanks and air support drive the 1st RTR into retreat with 30% loss (vs 16%). The 3rd Motor Brigade continue to face ever more fierce attacks from the three divisions as they refuse to give an inch. 43% losses are taken and the Headquarters are overrun and destroyed, but these magnificent troops refuse to yield...yet.
Another pointless barrage is aimed at Bardia, before just two strikes are mounted against Tobruk. These see losses of 5% vs 2% in the Allies favour.....
As we move to the halfway point the Savona artillery just cannot get their aim right against Bardia, but at least Tobruk felt their 18% losses spread over three hexes. "Where the **** are the RAF?" The Indian resistance is finally broken and the 11th PAVO Cavalry regiment ceases to exist.
The Savona artillery switches target, ignoring Bardia and attempting to smash the troops barring the way to the port. This tactic succeeds in costing the British infantry 12% losses. However once again the two Tobruk barrages give only slight pain to the defenders. The Bologna Division hope to capitalise on their success and attack the retreating Indians again. However, although the Royal Lancers retreat, the Kiwi infantry and the rest of the brigade hold firm. Italian losses at 18% are more than double those of the defenders.
Just two desultory attacks on Tobruk fail to register with the scorers, while the Bologna Division refuse to give up. Another Indian unit - the 18th KEO Cavalry Regt. - retreats but the New Zealanders continue to hold. To the left, the 23rd New Zealand Battalion is attacked by Bologna infantry supported by Ariete artillery. 19% losses are incurred but once again the Kiwis won't quit. At Bardia there is a sense of desperation from the Italians. An ill-advised attack goes in but the RN support the defenders and the assault is repulsed with 35% losses....
Tobruk takes just 2% losses this round and the folly of taking on the entrenched Kiwis is shown when a third attack fails. Losses are almost equal 14% vs 11% but the Italian 40th Infantry HQ is lost in the carnage. Better news is found next door where the 23rd Battalion retreats at the second time of asking. Murderous madness continues at Bardia where men of the Savona Division are thrown at the British defences and cut down like something out of WWI. 54% losses are incurred in the latest futile attack.
Just 1% losses are taken at Tobruk, while at Bardia the artillery barrage not only fails to find a target, but are themselves subject to counter-battery fire that inflicts 14% loss. The 22nd NZ Battalion holds despite another attack.
And so ends the turn.
