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Tobruk Libya
July 27 1941
1500 Hours

We are to move against the British holding Tobruk. We understand they are very well dug in on the hillsides surrounding Tobruk. It is not going to be easy to dig them out. Plus we have the added trouble of having a very heavy sandstorm blowing today. Vis will only be 250 yards so we will have to be right on top of them before we even see them. Movement weill be very hard and extremely slow.

Have given orders to lay in as much artty as we can spare so as to rattle them before we even move up. All our guns are focusing on about 300 yards in front of our advance. We will have a series of low hills we have to move over before we even get close to the objectives. It is 3:00 oclock in the afternoon and very hot and humid.

The first reports of our guns begining there bombardment has begun. This battle is on and we are begining to move already. I witnessed a very funny incendent a few minutes ago. I went down to the HQ guns to let them know what I expected from them today. They are the big 152mm type and make a hell of a racket as they fire.

Standing in the mist of all this racket was a young LT. giving orders in a very loud voice. His name is Carmine Nopolopalous. He was dressed in a very deep dark blue 3/4 coat with gold buttons six to be exact. His pants were grey riding britches stuck down in patent leather knee high boots. The pants had a pinkish tint to the grey and on his boots he had silver short stumpy spurs. There was a patent leather harness that had a strap that ran from his shoulder epelat to his waist belt. On this belt was attatched a silver sword sheath hung from the left side of the belt. On his right side he had another patent leather holster with a 9mm berretta. In his right hand he had a riding crop that had a blunt end on it. At the end of every order he would slap his boot top which gave off a very loud crack like a shot from a gun. Let me tell you his men were paying very close attention to every command he gave.

But the really big thing that made him stand out was his hat. It stood up about 5 inches above his eyebrows with a patent leather bill and on top was a sort of fierry red ball of some kind of material. And every time he slapped his boot with the riding crop this ball would sort of jump around on top of his head. Couple this with one of the biggest jet black handle bar mustashes I have ever seen. I knew right then and there I could depend on those guns doing the job I asked for was assured.

Ive got to get back to the lines even tho I could stand here all day and watch this LT work his magic on his troops.

HQ: I Ariete Roma Legion
Col: Tony Cochelli Commanding

Let's see the Romans retake North Africa.

Tobruk Libya
July 27 1941
1530 Hours

Well we have finally run into some British hiding in there holes. 30 minutes and we have only made 300 yards in this sandstorm. Lost a flame tank to somebody on the very northern flank of our line. The other flames have not located where the shot came from that took him out. One platoon from A Co 1st platoon has moved to with in 350 yards of the center objectives. B CO in the north has managed to move to with in 550 yards of the north objective. One of our motor cycle recon got ambushed in the center losing one man of the 3 man squad.

As we move forward we are finding burnt out hulks of some of there 2 inch morters. Our heavy guns must have done alot of damage thru here. C CO in the south has come up on some remnants of recon squads and have taken them out along with two 2 inch morters as they move forward steadaly but slowly. Even tho our progress is as slow as snails it has not stopped at all.

Our heavy guns are still pounding suspected locations of enemy troops. One of A CO recon cars took out a Crusader tank 10 minutes ago along with its crew. A very lucky shot to say the least as they have only a 20mm gun against a very good tank. This is the way things have been going for us today tho. Every thing seems to be falling into place for some reason. Maybe the pope in Rome prayed for us last night.

HQ: I Ariete Roma Legion
Col: Tony Cachilli Commanding

Tobruk Libya
July 27 1941
1625 Hours


We have been pounding the British for an hour and 25 minutes. Managed to take the middle and southern objectives so far. Still about 100 yards away from the northern ones. But our lines are now in so much disaray and chaos. It will take at least another 15 minutes before we even reach the northern ones even tho resistence there is down to nil. There are big holes all along our lines due to the severity of the enemys bombardment on our lines. Having a tough time even getting our guys up out of any depression or hole they can find to hide in.

About 15 minutes ago the enemy mounted a counter attack with about 15 tanks on the center objectives. They have managed to take back the eastern most flag before we were able to slow them down. There is a road that runs thru the middle objectives about 200 yards east of there is a small hill. All of a sudden these 15 tanks appeared on top of this small hill and began to move on the center. The only thing I had there was two light recon cars and a platoon of A CO 1st platoon. The two cars took out 2 of the tanks before the car on right flaank was blown apart the other car took such heavy fire he had to retire to just save his self.

I brought some tanks up as quick as I could. They managed to get there and take out two of the leading tanks the ones who had taken back the most eastern flag. Other tanks have now moved up into the general area and have begun to jocky for position on the remaining enemy tanks. With the limited visability have to move slow so as to move in where only one or two tanks can be seen at a time. One of our tanks didnt do this and all of a sudden he was facing five of there tanks. Needles to say he got his ass shot off for it.

We are losing way too many men and equipment as well. This has not been a cake walk today by any means. We started with 12 flame tanks we now have 2 left operational. Also lost 2 AA to some of there stragglers in our backfield. Have lost at least 4 tanks so far as well. There ATR teams have been a holy terror to our flame tanks. Unable to see them and they just rip our flamers to pieces.

Right now our senior non coms are out kicking ass and trying to get our line back into some form of movement. Units are strung out at least 300 yards trying to get units back to there command and moving forward again. Morters that stopped to fire have been almost lost from there plattoon in all this confusion going on. With only being able to move 50 yards every 5 minutes due to this dam raging sandstorm it has been a tough day for our non coms today. I really commend them for all the hard work they have been doing thru out this whole battle.

HQ: I Ariete Roma Legion
Col: Tony Cochelli Commanding

Tobruk Libya
July 7 1941
1725 Hours

Finally managed to take the rear objectives and the British have had enough. They are on the run and moving fast I might add. When they decided to counter attack the middle objective they put every thing they had into it. They sent at least 50 tanks to try and achieve there goal. The battle lasted for at least an hour. With us taking out every last tank they had sent. During this battle our losses in tanks where slight. We only lost 7 tanks during this battle while they lost all 50 of theres.

Our losses for the day were just 227 men 1 artty and 30 armor. This included the 10 flame tanks we lost early in the battle. Our gunners were dead on today not giving the enemy time to even get off a shot.

I had to go back and congratulate Carmine on the excellent shooting of his152 guns today as well. He responded very fast to every call I made for there support. And his shells all were dead on the mark even when I had to call some time for very close support. Im sure his deadly shooting took out at least 15 tanks today. Plus the damage he did to the British troops kept them out of our tankers hair all day.

The enemy lost 1588 men 24 arttty and 75 tanks. A very devastating day for thr Britons today. Maybe now we will get the respect we deserve from them.

Our orders or to pack up and move over to Egypt near Halfaya near the coast. We will once again face the British Dragoons. The only thing is HQ said they just will not have enough supplies to repair or replace all the equipment we lost today. So we will go into the next battle short a couple flames plus 3 or 4 independent SPATGs as well. But they do have 100 mines they can let us have. Looking forward to whipping the dam Brits next month.

HQ: I Ariete Roma Legion
Col: Tony Cochelli Commanding

Sounds like good fight was had.  Using Roman tanks against British tanks is a character building experience.  Helluva good kill ratio for the Italians.