Tigers East (Kirov Series Book 25)

by John Schettler

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

  Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare

  The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

  — Percy Bysshe Shelley, Ozymandias

  Chapter 22

  O’Connor continued his advance, with the 44th Home Counties Division turning off the main coastal road and heading inland to Nofilia. He had intended that a stronger British Division would then move on up the Via Balbia, but he first sent the independent 1st Tank Brigade along the road, with the 44th Recon Battalion detached as a scouting unit. The 4th Indian Division was next in line, but it also turned off the main road, intending to eventually deploy south of the 44th near Nofilia. This meant the main advance would be little more than a road clearing operation by that 1st Tank Brigade until the 51st Highlanders came up.

  Over the next several days, the 8th Army slowly flowed west into the land abandoned by the Germans. The advance up the Via Balbia saw 51st Highland Division reached As Sultan, just nine kilometers from the positions of the 164th Light in their blocking position along Wadi Hiran. O’Connor had finally found his enemy again and began formulating his plan of attack. The Highlanders would lead the assault on the coast, and right behind them, like a great steel battering ram, would come the infantry tanks of 1st Tank Brigade, with 46 Shermans and over 40 Matildas rigged out as special armored engineering tanks to breach wire and mines.

  To their immediate left, General Leese posted the 50th Northumbrian on a twisted feature called Wadi Rakwah. This was XIII Corps, occupying the coastal strip extending about 12 kilometers inland in an area that was mostly desert, with scattered hummocks of low scrub. Then came the powerful 1st Armored Division. Fisher’s 2nd Armored Brigade was forward at Alam al Matan, where a road track ran due west along their intended line of advance. That was the inner circle of O’Connor’s planned envelopment, for if that division broke through, it would be just south of the 90th Light, which was dug in on the right shoulder of the 164th Light.

  Behind 1st Armored, the 44th Home Counties Division was spread out in a wide arc along Wadi Harawah, and O’Connor put those two divisions under General Leese in XXX Corps. Further South, he had lined up the 7th Armored Division, with its nose at Sidi Azzab on the long Wadi Harawah, and the column extending east some 15 kilometers. Right behind it was the motorized 4th Indian Division, which had just come up after resupplying at the depot established at Nofilia. This was Horrocks and X Corps, the wide envelopment force. O’Connor planned to push it west into the open country of Alam Qarinah, then swing north in to the Al Hamrayah flats where they could find a road that ran north east of Wadi as Zaud towards Sirte.

  It was exactly what Rommel expected him to do.

  * * *

  Hauptmann László Almásy was a very busy man that morning. He had been scouting on the extreme southern right flank of Rommel’s advance, with a Sonderkommando unit comprised if scout cars and a few squads of light infantry, all handpicked men from the Brandenburgers. They were Germany’s answer to men like Popski and the L.R.D.G., all specially trained veterans of desert fighting, and excellent scouts.

  Yet his force was but the leading edge of a much larger formation called the Sonderverband 288, or ‘Special Formation 288.’ It consisted of 7 companies pulled from various units and initially disposed to screen and defend Benghazi before the Italians retreated there to meet their eventual fate. There were Brandenburg Commandos, a mountain rifle company, regular rifle company, machinegun company, AA units, a pioneer detachment and a Panzerjager unit that had Pak 50s and a few Sturmgeschuetz III self-propelled assault guns. Rommel had sent them well out ahead, or rather left them there when his forces withdrew towards the Buerat line. They were now assembling at the southern end of the long feature known as Wadi Faras, which extended north to meet Wadi Tilal reaching all the way to the coast.

  Midway along that long dry riverbed, Rommel had assembled his two knights, the 15th and 7th Panzer Divisions. Two tracks ran southeast from the wadi, into the plain of Abu As Shawk, bending east to meet the long run of Wadi Harawah. This was where Rommel was sending his two knights, wanting them to cross that wadi, and drive for Alam Al Hunjah another 18 kilometers beyond. If they got there, all the roads and tracks favored a turn to the northeast, which would eventually be aimed at Nofilia, the British forward depot. It was a long way to go, about 85 to 100 kilometers depending on the route, but Rommel had stockpiled the fuel to get his panzers there, and true to his old habits, he believed he would then find plenty of fuel in the depot once he got there.

  Hauptmann László Almásy had scouted the way forward across Abu As Shawk, finding it empty as far as Wadi Harawah. All Rommel was waiting for was O’Connor’s attack. It began on the 9th of October, right on the coast with 2nd and 5th Seaforth Highlanders supported by two companies of Royal Engineers and the 42nd RTR from 1st Tank Brigade. The initial attack was not coordinated well, and it was taking longer than expected to get through the wire. Slowly the sappers cleared lanes, and then Matilda dozers plowed through the wire, but the German line would not be pressed hard that morning due to these delays. At mid-day, an artillery duel developed, with the German 105s and 150cm guns answered by the British 25 Pounders.

  At noon Rommel ordered 21st Panzer to stop the advance of the British 1st Armored, and both sides met where the road hit a feeder wadi before it continued west. The British had the 9th and 12th Lancers on point, mostly armored cars. The collision of the two sides brought all movement to a halt, with the Damliers and AEC IIIs firing away at the oncoming German tanks and Panzergrenadiers. The British fed in the infantry from 7th Motor Brigade, and the division artillery began to rain fire on the Germans, which had pushed into the wadi to use it as a blocking position.

  Further south 7th Armored was attempting its wider envelopment, its recon elements running into German AT guns along that same wadi as it wound into the open country. 2nd Derbyshire Armored cars found a way around the guns to the left, and led the way for 4/8th Hussars and the Greys Armored Battalion, with 14 Grants, 18 M5 Stuarts and five AEC III Armored Cars with that good 75mm main gun. This was Robert’s 4th Light Brigade, and it now believed it had found the enemy flank. 22nd Armored Brigade began to swing in behind it, but then a call came in from Popski on the flank, warning of trouble.

  “I’m up on hill 482,” he said. “That’s the one southeast of your jumping off point at Sidi Azzab. There’s a big column of dust to my southwest, and I can make out tanks in the lead with my field glasses—maybe seven or eight klicks off. Look, there’s what passes for a road out there, and it leads all the way back to the main north south road to Sirte. I think Rommel’s on it, and he’s up to his old tricks again.”

  “Good enough, Major,” said the Colonel back at HQ in response. “But we’ve already locked horns with Jerry’s 21st Panzer. We’re turning his flank right now.”

  “That may be so, but what about the rest of the German armor? They’re about to turn your bloody flank, and that’s a fact. Now you get this to O’Connor, and fast, if you please Colonel.”

  Popski would have a balcony seat to the drama that was now playing out on the plain below. He watched as his every fear began to materialize before his eyes, with long columns of tanks and vehicles emerging from that desert dust storm they were making as they came. With each passing moment his mood darkened. This wasn’t a single division—not simply the 15th Panzer which they knew Rommel had in hand. It was two divisions, and he watched as they split like the horns of an onrushing bull, one moving south of his position, the other turning northeast. He knew Lieutenant Reeves was a little to his southeast on the road back to Wadi Harawah.

  “Lieutenant,” he called on the radio. “You’re about to have some nasty company.”

  “We’ve seen them,” said Reeves. “Looks like a tank company up front. My boys can stop them.”

  “No lad, it’s a good deal more than that. There’s a whole bloody Panzer Division coming your way, and you’d best get back to the Wadi. I’ll n
otify HQ, if I can get the damn Colonel there to understand what’s happening.” Then the sound of artillery fire could be clearly heard by Reeves over Popski’s radio link, and it added depth to that warning.

  “Looks like they’ve seen us up here,” said Popski. “I’m heading east, and you do the same! Popski out.”

  When the Colonel went to O’Connor, he found him already on the radio. It was Wavell, all the way from Alexandria on the special HF Radio set that Kinlan had given each high level HQ for better communications. He had just heard news that he found hard to believe. “Tobruk?” he said. “The whole bloody harbor?”

  “Blasted to hell,” came Wavell’s voice in reply. “The bay is twice the size it was, and all the fuel bunkered on the south shore was completely destroyed. Every ship in the harbor was sunk, including two tankers, several gunboats, the monitor, and an American destroyer.”

  “Destroyed? But we sent Kinlan’s Brigade there to top off. Can you reach him?”

  “We’ve tried, but get no reply. This report came in from troops at Mersa Matruh that were moving to Tobruk this morning. If he was there, then Kinlan went the way of everything else. I’m told the whole area is completely devastated, for miles in all directions. They saw it light up the sky like a second sun when it hit. Planes were blown off the tarmac at El Adem, and the hangers caught fire there. That’s all of 13 miles south of the bay. It had to be one of those special warheads the Russians told us about.”

  “Well who in God’s name fired the damn thing? Surely not the Germans—they can’t have such weapons.”

  “We don’t know, but I’ve a message out to the Argos Fire, and to the Russians. Richie, you had better rethink this offensive. If Kinlan is gone, you’re on your own out there.” O’Connor looked over his shoulder, seeing the Colonel trying to get his attention.

  “Damn it man, what is it?” he said, still shocked by Wavell’s news.

  “Rommel sir,” said the Colonel. “That scout down on the southern flank says he seen a lot of movement. He’s reporting division sized forces on the deep left flank—two divisions, sir.”

  O’Connor nodded. “General,” he said into his handset to Wavell. “I’ve got my hands full out here. Keep me advised if you learn anything more.”

  He stormed over to the nearest map on a small field table set up outside his HQ tent. He had been all set to leave for the front to go and listen to the battle, but this news from Wavell was deeply shocking.

  “Colonel,” he said, collaring the messenger. “Where was Popski when he reported that movement you spoke of?”

  “He says he was on Hill 482, sir, southeast of Sidi Azzab.”

  “Sir,” came another Lieutenant. “General Tuker with the 4th Indian reports the enemy is attacking Sidi Azzab. He’s had to turn his whole column 90 points to face what looks to be a full panzer division.”

  “That was where Harding was with 7th Armored this morning when we jumped off,” said O’Connor. “Rommel’s got round my left flank!”

  “This Popski fellow seems rather insistent about exactly that, sir,” said the Colonel.

  “Well, why didn’t I hear about it sooner? Alright, where is Brigadier Richards with the 23rd Armored Brigade? Has he moved yet?”

  “No sir,” said the Lieutenant. “He’s still laagered on the road leading up to Bir Qarinah, waiting for orders.”

  “Good for him. Now he’ll get them. Tell the General I want his Brigade here. He’s to swing southeast of Sidi Azzab. General Horrocks?” O’Connor looked over his shoulder for his X Corps Commander. “You had better get forward and sort things out. We may have to stop 7th Armored and get it turned around. I’m taking the AA park south and setting up a screen at Ulyam Ar Rimith. Both roads meet there if Rommel is doing what I think he pulled off here. Now… What’s this unit?”

  “Those are the French Brigades attached to 44th Home Counties.”

  “Good. Tell General Hughes I’ll be taking them into Army Reserve. And where is the 21st Indian Brigade?”

  “They were at Nofilia, sir, but nobody’s heard from them for hours. Probably on the road somewhere.”

  “Well someone bloody well find out where they are, and tell them they are to go here…” He leaned over his map, squinting. “Alam al Hunja,” he said. “Yes, that’s what the cheeky bastard wants. From there all the roads lead him right to the coast, and 50 kilometers behind our backsides! My God, that man does war justice. Who’s attacking who here? Rommel looks like he’s trying to bag the entire 8th Army!”

  Chapter 23

  All was not lost on the front simply because Rommel had out flanked O’Connor’s position. The wily General O’Connor had reacted quickly, reaching for any reserve he had at hand and sending them to precisely the right positions to stop what he believed his enemy was now doing. Meanwhile, further west, his own planned envelopment was still pushing hard. Horrocks did not get out there quickly enough to stop 7th Armored.

  Now the planned two division thrust looked like a great arm swinging into an uppercut at Rommel’s defensive front. The long muscular forearm was the sturdy 4th Indian Division, most of which was now facing south against the threat of Rommel’s envelopment. The clenched fist was 7th Armored, and it was punching through Rommel’s screen of AT guns and light mobile Panzerjagers. And on the Via Balbia, the 51st Highland Division had forced two penetrations in the line against the German 164th Light Division. All was not lost. There was still a great deal of fight in the British 8th Army.

  Moving swiftly through the night, with sandy fragments in their wake catching the moonlight, Sonderverband 288 raced towards their objective at Alam Hunjah. That was the place Rommel said he hoped to be standing by noon on the second day of the battle, and his troops were nearly there. 7th Panzer had crossed all the plain of Abu as Shawk that night, turning north. There, to its chagrin, it ran right into Brigadier Richards 23rd Armored Brigade.

  This was O’Connor’s haymaker, the heaviest brigade he possessed in terms of sheer armored fighting power. 50th RTR had 36 Churchill IIIs, 36 Valentines and another 36 Crusader IIIs. The 46th and 8th RTRs were configured the same way. A fourth battalion, the 40th RTR had another 48 Valentines in reserve, placing over 350 tanks in this single brigade. 7th Panzer’s lead elements had just crossed Wadi Harawah when that wave of armor fell upon it like a hammer. O’Connor then ordered both the two Free French Brigades due south to Sidi Azzab, and they were to attack immediately. To the 4th Indian Division, he gave orders to push south with all its strength. His intention was to take hold of the German Tiger as it prowled east in the night, wrestle it to the ground and attempt to stop it, then and there. It remained to be seen whether he was taking a tiger by the tail or not, but this battle would decide the war on this front for months to come.

  50th RTR drove on, pushing back the armored cars of the 7th Panzer Recon, and then trundling down into the wadi. Popski’s scout detachment was right there with them, and his AEC III was shot right out from under him. He only just barely managed to escape through the upper hatch before the vehicle ‘brewed up.’ There was a shrapnel wound on his left forearm, though the adrenaline of the moment was too great for him to notice. All he could think of was getting to the nearest cover, which in this case was a scout jeep. When he dragged himself under it, there were two other members of his team, Lance and Nelson.

  “Whoa Nelly,” he breathed. “We’ve no business in the middle of this mess. Does that jeep above us still run?”

  “Shot clean through the engine,” said Nelson. “Richards has all the rest of the group, back about 300 yards. Can’t see a thing in all this smoke and dust.”

  “Then it’s belly work for us,” said Popski. “Stay low and we’ll head that way. We belong out on the flank, not here in the middle of the stew.”

  “You’d best bandage that arm,” Corporal Lance pointed, and Popski noticed he was bleeding for the first time. He took the scarf from around his neck, and wrapped it as tightly as he could. Then they began to craw, like
three fat snakes in the sand, making their way from one hummock of low growth to the next. Off to the south, Popski could see the tanks of 46th and 8th RTRs grinding towards the German Position, and the whole scene was masked with grey smoke, where the lightning of gunfire cracked out sharply as the tanks fired, the yellow orange fire marking their positions.

  46th RTR ran straight into two companies of the II Battalion of Funck’s 25th Panzer Regiment. 8th RTR was dueling with the 3rd Company on the left of the British advance. The Germans would field about 120 tanks there, against 220 British, and it was a fearsome collision of armor. 46th RTR got the worst of things, taken in the flank as it charged by one of the two German companies. There were four Tigers there, and four Lions, their big turrets rotating, guns cracking out their fire. The 88mm gun on the Tigers took a heavy toll, and the 46th lost 16 Churchills, 15 Valentines and 20 Crusader IIIs, knocked out in twenty minutes of hard fighting. It began to back away, treads grinding in the sandy ground, guns still firing.

  Popski and his comrades made it to Richards, where they found three jeeps and motored away to the northeast. When they came up on the height of Ulayam ar Rimith, they saw O’Connor’s HQ vehicles below, and to their great surprise, a German recon unit was already flanking that hill to the east.

  “Bloody hell,” said Popski. “The forward depot is just five klicks down this road. I hope the General down there knows what’s happened. Who’s got a radio?”

  Up the far side of the hill they soon saw movement, crouching low, their fists tight on their weapons. Nelson pulled back the bolt on the machinegun mounted on the jeep, and took aim, but then he saw the red berets ahead, squinting through the blowing smoke.

  “Hold your fire,” he shouted. “It’s the S.A.S!” O’Connor had sent the single company of commandos attached to his HQ up to that hill to have a look.

  “You boys are a sight for sore eyes,” said Popski. “Hell of a fight back there. Rommel’s going all out to turn this flank! Is the General down there?”