DAK Panzer model information needed for January 1942

[Anthony N]

I have someone drawing an action in the desert that occured on 31st January 1942.
It is the action in which a British Military Medal was won that i now own.
However, the artist is an ex-serviceman who is very thorough & wants to know what model armoured car & tanks might have been involved in this skirmish.
From my research, the German mechanised units in the Desert in January 1942 would have been:

15th panzer Division
21st Panzer Division
90th Light Division

Here is the citation for the Military Medal which might help:

"On Saturday 31 January 1942 Sgt Bacon's gun with one other were part of a small forward column, with one Company 9th Battalion the Rifle Brigade at CHARRUBA. Here they were cut off from the rest of the British Forces by an enemy column. No RHA officer was with this party. The enemy was encountered as they endeavoured to rejoin the main force. Without further orders Sgt Bacon at once brought his gun into action in the open and knocked out an enemy Armoured Car. With the assistance of the other gun some tanks were driven off. It was then decided to split the Company one gun going with each half. Sgt Bacon's gun was to give covering fire while the other half advanced.

When the advance began an enemy gun opened up, Sgt Bacon's gun at once silenced it, thus preserving the half Company which was then in the open. Throughout there was considerable enemy machine gun fire, Sgt Bacon showed great coolness, dash and initiative."

I assume the German armoured cars & tanks would have been at the spearhead of the DAK advance as they were pushing the allied forces back, with the allies sending small forces forward to slow the German advance.

I would be really grateful if anyone knows what model panzers & armoured cars these might have been.

[Tim O'Keefe]

Hi Anthony,

Without addressing this specific action that happened 67 years ago today... here is some basic info. Your Sgt appears to be in a sec of 25lb Field Arty, at first i though 2lb AT but the report mentions driving off the enemy AFV and then engaging an enemy gun so it had to have HE, thus 25lb was used allowing the Sgt to out-range his opponents.

As far as the DAK forces, it would have been from the 3rd or 33rd recon Bn's DAK that were in the advance from Msus on a track running along the south side of the Jebel El Akdar. Consisting of SDKFZ 222/220 AC or possibly the SDKFZ 234 (eight wheeler but this is unlikely) the Puma and more heavily armed AC did not serve in Afrika at that time (maybe Tunisia not DAK). The Pz IId or f model would be in a DAK recon unit. The Pz IIIh would provide the security for the lighter recon forces mentioned. Add on some 3.7 or 5.cm PzJg's
and some Motorized Inf and Motorcyles and You have DAK recon Bn.
The DAK did receive a large shipment of PZ IIIh (over 50 AFV) in early Jan '42
which allowed Rommel's men to counterattack near Bengazi which is the action your Sgt was involved in. Hope this helps.

regards
Tim

[Anthony N]

Superb stuff Tim, i really appreciate your incredibly detailed answer!
So many vehicles to look up now.
It's interesting that you have pinpointed this so closely as i would love to read a book which has good coverage of this particular action. Could you recommend any?
I will forward your information to my friends Father.
Thanks again, Anthony

[Mark Gibson]

I'm impressed.

Mark

[Tim O'Keefe]

The Jan '42 DAK offensive is as interesting as the first wild dash across Cyrenaica in '41, many similarities but the DAK approach was completely different. Instead of just a pinning force of 3rd Recon Bn thrown up the via Balboa and the main DAK thrust traveling inland across the desert, the entire 90th Lt Div went towards Bengazi by the via Balboa and at Msus the DAK split into two Kampfgruppe, one striking for Mechilli the other turning north west towards outflanking Bengazi from the East. As Rommel felt Bengazi needed to be taken before the DAK could advance on Tobruk, unlike the first offensive...

I have not found a book yet that details with the opening '42 offensive in the detail that I would want, unlike the first Offensive that has many good narratives. Thomas Jentz "Tank Combat in North Africa" is the best source on the first offensive that I have found.

Would like to hear other's opinions on a detailed source of the opening '42 offensive ?

The info above is just the basic DAK TO&E from that time period from memory and the action at Charruba was one of many small delaying actions performed along the Jebel El Akdar during Jan '42. This action allowed the other Allied units to retreat towards the Gazala line.

Appreciate the compliments,
Heia safari
Tim

[Anthony N]

Here's a link to the grouping as requested

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=333176

[Tim O'Keefe]

Hi Anthony

Thanks for the link, great story behind the medals, survivor of Dunkirk etc...so William was a Geordie then, gotta like that ! ....Thanks for sharing an oustanding piece of North African history. Look forwards to the drawing.

Howay the Toon
Tim

[Anthony N]

Hi Anthony

Thanks for the link, great story behind the medals, survivor of Dunkirk etc...so William was a Geordie then, gotta like that ! ....Thanks for sharing an oustanding piece of North African history. Look forwards to the drawing.

Howay the Toon
Tim

No problem Tim, waited for this one & then had to pay pay pay!
Aye, a geordie, ex-miner & army boxer, certainly a match for the panzers
Anthony