Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
British tank losses are somewhat debated; 2nd Royal Gloucestershire Hussars lost 30 tanks and 50 men (11 killed, 19 wounded and 20 missing), 4th County of London Yeomanry lost eight tanks and 26 men (4 killed and 22 missing) and 3rd County of London Yeomanry reported the loss of four tanks, six men killed and an unspecified number of wounded.
The soldiers took position in the holes in the evening of 1 December, under torrential rain. The garrison also had ten 47/32 mm guns, 24 Breda Mod. 37 machine guns, 12 Mod. 35 anti-tank rifles, six Solothurn S-18/100 anti-tank rifles and eight 81 mm mortars. The GGFF made their mark during Operation Crusader.
The Eighth Army had the equivalent of seven divisions with 770 tanks (including many of the new Crusader Cruiser tanks and new American M3 Stuart light tanks). Air support was provided by up to 724 front-line aircraft of the Air Headquarters Western Desert and Malta. [111] [m]
The Crusader's 2-pounder (40 mm) gun was as effective as the short-barrelled 50 mm of the Panzer III, although it was out-ranged by the short-barrelled 75 mm of the Panzer IV. [6] Although the Crusader was faster than any tanks it opposed, its potential was limited by a relatively light QF 2-pounder gun
Towards the end of Operation Crusader, the support group joined the 1st Armoured Division for a couple of weeks before reverting to the command of the 7th Armoured Division. The 7th Support Group was abolished in February 1942, after Crusader came to an end, following a reorganization of the British armoured forces in North Africa.
This is the order of battle for the ground forces involved in Operation Crusader, a World War II battle between the British Commonwealth and the European Axis Powers of Germany and Italy in North Africa between 18 November – 30 December 1941.
The reformed 1st Army Tank Brigade was transferred to North Africa, equipped with Valentine infantry tanks. The brigade took part in Operation Crusader, as part of the XIII Corps. Attached to the 2nd South African Division, it took part in the conquest of Bardia (December 1941 – January 1942). The 1st Tank Brigade was disbanded 21 November ...
German tanks now attacked the battalion's main position, held by A and B Companies (D Company was digging a fallback position at Agedabia). The tanks were engaged by the field artillery and riflemen with Boys anti-tank rifles, and withdrew after one or two had been knocked out, but German infantry and artillery now overlooked Cemetery Hill ...