Dragoons at Halfaya 8/13/41

[robot]

Halfaya Egypt
August 13 1941
0800 Hours

Early morning here in the desert just outside to the east of Halfaya. We are to advance against the I Ariete Legion today. It has only been about 2 weeks since we went against the XV Grenadiers in almost the same spot. We did not do too well in that battle and our men are primed and ready to get revenge if only against the Italians today.

They have already been up for at least two hours preparing. Laying out extra ammo so as to really lay it on today. I pity any Italian who gets in there sights there will be no backing down or sympathy for anybody that they can see or get a shot at. All of our tanks have made sure to have plenty of shells as they believe the Italians will thow a lot of armor at us.

It is 8 oclock and we are begining to move out . Not too hot yet but we have a raging sandstorm and once again it will be very slow going. Vis will be short only about 250 yards of sight so we will be on top of them before we can see to shoot. Will have to be sharp and get the first shot off and to be very accurate so as to cut down there chances to even return fire.

A CO is in the north and have about 500 yards to there objective. A lot of hilly country here so we figure the Italians will reach the objectives first and it will be a job of throwing them back and retaking them today.

B has the center and they too have about the same distance as A. Meanwhile C CO has the south they will already have there objective and are setting up there line at a little valley that cuts threw the hills. There line will extend across the mouth of this valley and hold it against any and all of the enemy that tries to get thru.

Will have some ariel photos of our setup in the next report. As the film was slow in getting developed before I finished this report. They will be included in the next report.

HQ:II Royal Dragoons
Col: Sir Nigel Kingsly Commanding

[robot]

Halfaya Egypt
August 13 1941
0830 Hours


30 minutes into the conflict and so far so good. A in the north has moved to within 250 yards of objectives. Even with the very slow rate of advance things going very well so far. Sand storm still raging and raising havoc with our advance. No Italian tanks have appeared so far. Have taken out maybe 3 or 4 of the AB41 type armored cars. Lots of infantry appearing in front of us. Our guys are making the first shots so far and are pushing steadly forward. Here was where and how we lined up on the start this morning.

[robot]

B CO in the middle as of 0800 Hours.

[robot]

C CO is to hold the south objectives which are about 300 yards to there rear. There set up as of 0815 hours. So far the only thing they have seen was one truck carrying a squad of infantry which they delt with. Pretty slow in there area no losses to there group at all. Lots of 75mm and 81 morter fire but only 0ne casualty reported so far. All is going very well for our side. There tanks have to show up very soon we are about to take the north and the midle with in the next half hour.

[PimpYourAFV]

You are quite fond of having your recon cars leading the softies with the tanks all kept tidily in the southern flank of each attack group.   I take it the tanks swoop up north when the softies are engaged.

Why didn't you grab the victory hexes?  Are you saving them as perks for whichever squad knocks off the most Romans?

[robot]

Pimp it is hard to grab anything in this sandstorm. You can only move 50 yards at a time takes for ever just to move 6 hexes let alone move fast enough to grab anything. And yes I let my recon take the brunt of any attack and my tanks are there only for support not as an attacking force. I lose a lot of recon which our country seems to manufacture rather fast. But my tank losses are most of the time rather low and they are in short supply so works out ok with high command that way. [:D][:D][:D]

[V22 Osprey]

Well,there is no point of Grabbin the V Hexes until the near end of the battle(Unless they are ''Points per turn'' V Hexes),but still.U can use your tanks to come down on the enemy and take'em by surprise from that hill in the South if you use the hill for cover.[:D] But You put your tanks in the North,so you would have to launch smoke so the enemy doesnt your tanks rollin across the line to that hill.

I have question...are the Brem carriers and Light vehicles of C Co are suppose to lure the enemy in and then you attack/flank from the South and trap them?

[PimpYourAFV]

Okay interesting tactics. I prefer high speed advances in surprise advances so I put infantry onto tanks and they go in with recon cars with some trucks or mechs filled with infantry following behind. This was the SS style of assaulting and incurred massive shock and loss on the Russians, and on the British in the Balkans. For less mobile attacks, I just have the tanks and infantry attack together and directed at the strongest concentrations of enemy to seek a decisive contest with a Nelsonian flavor.

[robot]

Halfaya Egypt
August 13 1941
0920 Hours


We are still pushing the italians back slowly but surely. The company of Matildas on the right flank of B Co has moved to with in 450 yards of the rear most objectives. B Co is being held up by near a company of Italian tanks and have been unable to gain much in the way of yardage.

Lots of infantry has moved in with the tanks in the middle. Our losses are starting to climb some from the action against B Co. Mean while the opposition to A moving in the North has abated some what. They have made at least 400 yards in the last 40 minutes.
They have taken out at least 5 of those pesky brixia morters they love to use so much.

C Co in the south still hold the pass to the southern objectives and have inflicted heavy losses to the enemy there. They sent at least 15 tanks and close to two companys of infantry at them. All tanks at the present time have been taken out and lie around on the battlefield in grim testamony to the heroics of our men there. They had no tanks for support and stood there ground with 2 sections of IG and 2 sections of ATG, They lost at least 4 of there armored cars plus 2 of the ATG as well as a AA piece. Several of there squads have been cut down to 4 men left. Enclosed photo shows the ferocity of the battle. But not a man ran or gave up during the height of this battle.

It will take at least another 40 minutes before we can even think about capturing the rear objectives.

HQ: II Royal Dragoons
Col: Sir Nigel Kingsly Commanding

[V22 Osprey]

Italian moral must be broken now seeing that many losses.Nice job C Co.[&o]

Hmmmm....and I see you lost some vehicles but those AT Guns really did the trick.It also looks like the enemy tryed to use my tactic by trying to flank by using the hill for cover.[:D]

Watch out for that MG next to that destroyed tank(3rd row,2nd Tank)

Oh,and what scenario is that?

[PimpYourAFV]

You really brought the pain to them poor Roman tanks.  What kind of AT guns did you use?

[V22 Osprey]

I would guess 17pdrs.I played a random battle recently with those puppies and man do they kick butt.

[robot]

Halfaya Egypt
August 13 1941
1000 Hours

Took two hours but we got it done. Have taken all of the objectives and they are under our control. The Italians have decided they have had enough and are retreating from the battle field. They took a heck of a beating today. There losses were staggering losing 1877 men along with 9 artty and 109 of there cracker boxes they call tanks.

Our losses were slight in comparison to theres. We lost 123 men along with 2 artty 2 APCs and 7 armored units which included armored cars. Only really lost one Valintine tank to them. Our tank gunners were right on the money all day long ripping there tanks to pieces before they even got a chance to fire at us.

We are to rest and regroup and just get drunk a lot. We will stay here until next month and try and do to the Germans what we did to the Italians today. I dont beleive we will have the easy time with the Germans next month as we did today. For one thing there tanks will give us a much bigger fit then the Italian ones. They dont blow apart that easy with these little 2 Pdr portees ATG as they did today.

We will be switching a lot of our recon cars for the better Marm Herr 47mm ones as we wait. Should improve our striking power as we move forward.

Next months battle will be our 9th since entering this dam war. And it does not look as tho this war is going to be over any time soon. I look for alot of good men to die and a lot of our tanks to wind up in the junk yard next month due to the superior armor of the Germans.

HQ: II Royal Dragoons
Col: Sir Nigel Kingsly Commanding

[PimpYourAFV]

The Italians always have a hard time. I read in Osprey that the Aussies in Tobruk actually took sympathy on them and stopped conducting night raids against their positions.

Let's see how do you against the Germans.

[V22 Osprey]

When did I say that?

[PimpYourAFV]

Osprey....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tobruk-1941-Osprey-Campaign-Latimer/dp/1841760927