Second Battle of El Alamein order of battle
Dispositions for the Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein (23 October – 11 November 1942) was a battle of the Second World War that took place near the Egyptian railway halt of El Alamein. The First Battle of El Alamein and the Battle of Alam el Halfa had prevented the Axis from advancing further into Egypt.
The Allied victory was the beginning of the end of the Western Desert Campaign, eliminating the Axis threat to Egypt, the Suez Canal and the Middle Eastern and Persian oil fields. The battle revived the morale of the Allies, being the first big success against the Axis since Operation Crusader in late 1941. The end of the battle coincided with the Allied invasion of French North Africa in Operation Torch on 8 November, which opened a second front in North Africa.
High-level orders of battle
[edit]Allies
[edit]Middle East Command: Lieutenant-General Harold Alexander
British Eighth Army
Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Law Montgomery
- Northern sector
- British XXX Corps (Lieutenant-General Oliver Leese)
- Australian 9th Division (Major-General Leslie Morshead)
- British 51st (Highland) Infantry Division (Major-General Douglas Wimberley)
- New Zealand 2nd Division (Lieutenant-General Bernard Freyberg)
- South African 1st Infantry Division (Major-General Dan Pienaar)
- Indian 4th Infantry Division (Major-General Francis Tuker)
- British XXX Corps (Lieutenant-General Oliver Leese)
- Southern sector
- British XIII Corps (Lieutenant-General Brian Horrocks)
- British 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division (Major-General John Nichols)
- British 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division (Major-General Ivor Hughes)
- British 7th Armoured Division (Major-General John Harding)
- British XIII Corps (Lieutenant-General Brian Horrocks)
- Reserve
- British X Corps (Lieutenant-General Herbert Lumsden)
- British 1st Armoured Division (Major-General Raymond Briggs)
- British 10th Armoured Division (Major-General Alexander Gatehouse)
- British 8th Armoured Division (Major-General Charles Henry Gairdner)
- British X Corps (Lieutenant-General Herbert Lumsden)
Axis
[edit]Delegazione Africa Settentrionale (Delease): Generale Di Corpo D' Armata Curio Barbasetti
Panzerarmee Afrika
Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel
- Italian XXI Army Corps
- Generale di Corpo d'Armata Enea Navarini; Generale di Divisione Alessandro Gloria[a]
- 25th Infantry Division "Bologna" (Generale di Divisione Alessandro Gloria)
- 102nd Motorised Division "Trento" (Generale di Brigata Giorgio Masina)
- Italian XX Army Corps
- Generale di Divisione Giuseppe De Stefanis
- 101st Motorised Division "Trieste" (Generale di Divisione Francesco La Ferla)
- 132nd Armoured Division "Ariete" (Generale di Divisione Francesco Antonio Arena)
- 133rd Armoured Division "Littorio" (Generale di Divisione Gervasio Bitossi)
- German 164th Light Africa Division (Generalleutnant Carl-Hans Lungershausen)
- Italian X Army Corps
- Generale di Divisione Federico Ferrari Orsi KIA 18 Oct
- Generale di Divisione Enrico Frattini thru 26 Oct
- Generale di Divisione Edoardo Nebbia from 27 Oct, POW 7 Nov
- 17th Infantry Division "Pavia" (Generale di Divisione Nazzareno Scattaglia)
- 27th Infantry Division "Brescia" (Generale di Divisione Brunetto Brunetti)
- 185th Infantry Division "Folgore" (Generale di Divisione Enrico Frattini)
- Ramcke Parachute Brigade (Generalmajor Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke)
- Reserve
Allies
[edit]Middle East Command: Lieutenant General Harold Alexander
British Eighth Army
Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Law Montgomery
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Under direct Army command
Army troops
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British XXX Corps
[edit]
XXX Corps occupied the northern sector of the Allied front.
- Lieutenant-General Oliver Leese
- Under direct Corps command
- XXX Corps Defence Squadron
- C Squadron, 4th/6th South African Armoured Car Regiment
- 7th Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery
- 64th Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery
- 69th (Caernarvon & Denbigh Yeomanry) Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery
- 66th Mortar Company, Royal Engineers (two sections detached to 9th Australian Division)
- 11th Field Company, South African Engineers
- 13th Field Company, South African Engineers
- 22nd Field Park Company, South African Engineers
- XXX Corps Signals, Royal Corps of Signals
- Under direct Corps command
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Divisions deployed north to south
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British XIII Corps
[edit]
XIII Corps occupied the southern sector of the Allied front.
- Lieutenant-General Brian Horrocks
- Under direct Corps command
- South African 4th/6th Armoured Car Regiment (one troop)
- XIII Corps Troops, Royal Engineers
- XIII Corps Signals, Royal Corps of Signals
- Under direct Corps command
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Divisions deployed north to south
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British X Corps
[edit]
X Corps supplied reserve divisions behind the main Allied line.
- Lieutenant-General Herbert Lumsden
- Under direct Corps command
- X Corps Troops, Royal Engineers[3]
- 571st Army Field Company (attached to 10th Armoured Division)
- 572nd Army Field Company (attached to 1st Armoured Division)
- 573rd Army Field Company (attached to 10th Armoured Division)
- 570th Corps Field Park Company
- X Corps Signals, Royal Corps of Signals
- X Corps Troops, Royal Engineers[3]
- Under direct Corps command
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Divisions deployed north to south
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Axis
[edit]Delegazione Africa Settentrionale (Delease)
Generale Di Corpo D'Armata[s] Curio Barbasetti
Divisions deployed north to south
Panzerarmee Afrika
[edit]
Generalfeldmarschall [t] Erwin Rommel [u]
Deutsches Afrika Korps
[edit]
Generalleutnant [v] Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma
German 15th Panzer Division- Generalmajor [w] Gustav von Vaerst
- 8th Panzer Regiment
- 115th Panzergrenadier Regiment
- 33rd Artillery Regiment
- 33rd Anti-tank Battalion
- 33rd Engineer Battalion
German 21st Panzer Division- Generalmajor [x] Heinz von Randow
- 5th Panzer Regiment
- 104th Panzergrenadier Regiment
- 155th Artillery Regiment
- 39th Anti-tank Battalion
- 200th Engineer Battalion
German 90th Light Afrika Division
- Generalmajor [y] Ernst Strecker, later Theodor Graf von Sponeck
- 155th Panzergrenadier Regiment (with 707th Heavy Infantry Gun Company)
- 200th Panzergrenadier Regiment (with 708th Heavy Infantry Gun Company)
- 346th Panzergrenadier Regiment[z]
- 190th Artillery Regiment
- 190th Anti-tank Battalion
- Under command
- Force 288[aa]
- 605th Anti-tank Battalion
- 109th Anti-aircraft Battalion
- 606th Anti-aircraft Battalion
Italian XXI Army Corps
[edit]
[7]
Generale di Corpo d'Armata Enea Navarini
Generale di Divisione Alessandro Gloria (Thru 26 October)
- Corps-level troops
- 7th Bersaglieri Regiment
- X Bersaglieri Battalion
- XI Bersaglieri Battalion
- 8th Army Corps Artillery Grouping
- XXVII Construction Engineers Battalion
- LXV Signal Engineers Battalion
- 14th Fortification Engineer Company
- 7th Bersaglieri Regiment
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Italian XX Army Corps
[edit]
[8] Generale di Divisione Giuseppe De Stefanis
- Corps-level troops
- XVIII Anti-aircraft and Anti-tank Group (8.8cm Flak and 20/65 guns)
- LXII Anti-aircraft Group (75/50 anti-aircraft guns)
- XXIV Mixed Engineer Battalion
- 2nd Bersaglieri Motorcyclists Company
- 106th Field Hospital
- 576th Field Hospital
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Northern Sector
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Southern Sector
132nd Armoured Division "Ariete"[9]- Generale di Divisione Francesco Antonio Arena
- 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment (M13/40 and M14/41 tanks)
- 8th Bersaglieri Regiment
- III Bersaglieri Anti-tank Battalion (47/32 anti-tank guns)
- V Bersaglieri Battalion
- XII Bersaglieri Battalion
- 132nd Armoured Artillery Regiment
- I Group (75/27 field guns)
- II Group (75/27 field guns)
- III Group (105/28 howitzers)
- V (DLI) Self-propelled Artillery Group (Semovente 75/18 self-propelled guns)
- VI (DLII) Self-propelled Artillery Group (Semovente 75/18 self-propelled guns)
- XV Heavy Field Artillery Group (105/28 howitzers)
- XXXI Anti-aircraft and Anti-tank Group (8.8cm Flak anti-aircraft guns)
- DI Anti-aircraft and Anti-tank Group (90/53 and 20/65 Mod. 35 anti-aircraft guns)
- III Armored Squadrons Group "Nizza Cavalleria" (AB 41 Armoured cars)
- CXXXII Mixed Engineer Battalion
Italian X Army Corps
[edit]
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[10]
Generale di Divisione Federico Ferrari Orsi (KIA 18 October)
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Reserve Divisions during the Battle
16th Motorised Division "Pistoia"[15]- Generale di Divisione Giuseppe Falugi
- 35th Infantry Regiment "Pistoia"
- 36th Infantry Regiment "Pistoia"
- 3rd Motorised Artillery Regiment
- XVI Mortar Battalion
- LI Mixed Engineer Battalion
- 16th Anti-tank Company
136th Armoured Division "Giovani Fascisti"[16]- Generale di Divisione Ismaele Di Nisio
- Infantry Regiment "Giovani Fascisti" (2x battalions)
- IX Autonomous Infantry Battalion
- 136th Artillery Regiment
- XIV Motorized Artillery Group (65/17 field guns mounted on Morris CS8)
- XV Motorized Artillery Group (65/17 field guns mounted on Morris CS8)
- XVI Motorized Artillery Group (75/27 field guns mounted on TL.37)
- XVII Motorized Artillery Group (100/17 howitzers mounted on Lancia 3Ro trucks)
- 88th Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 Mod. 35 anti-aircraft guns)
- III Armoured Squadrons Group "Cavalleggeri di Monferrato" (AB 41 Armoured cars)
Notes
[edit]- ^ in temporary command until October 26
- ^ Equipped with minesweeping Matilda tanks, allotted to XXX Corps for minefield clearance[1]
- ^ For HQ and railway protection[1]
- ^ Used for HQ protection, camouflage and guard duties[1]
- ^ 35 Sherman, 37 Grant, 46 Crusader = 118 tanks
- ^ Attached from 23rd Armoured Brigade, in reserve until 31 October; 1 SA Division had a Reserve Group comprising 8 RTR, 3 SA Armoured Car Regt. less two squadrons, 2 Regt. Botha (from 1 SA Infantry Brigade), a battery of anti-tank guns and a troop each of light anti-aircraft guns and Scorpion anti-mine flail tanks. The group was disbanded on 31 October.[2]
- ^ 186 Valentine tanks
- ^ Three troops detached to 50th Royal Tank Regiment with 51st (Highland) Division
- ^ Attached to New Zealand 2nd Division 29 October to 3 November
- ^ 57 Stuart, 14 Grant = 71 tanks and 9 armoured cars
- ^ 57 Grant, 50 Crusader, 19 Stuart = 126 tanks
- ^ Equipped with M7 Priest
- ^ 92 Sherman, 68 Crusader, one Grant = 161 tanks[4]
- ^ Detached less support company to Hammerforce
- ^ Attached to Hammerforce for mine clearance.[5]
- ^ 45 Crusader, 57 Grant, 31 Sherman = 133 tanks
- ^ 2 Grants, 93 Sherman, 45 Crusader = 140 tanks
- ^ Attached from 44th Infantry Division
- ^ Equivalent to the rank of Lieutenant-General
- ^ Equivalent to an Anglo Field Marshal
- ^ General der Panzertruppe Georg Stumme was in command at the start of the battle in Rommel's absence on sick leave.
- ^ Equivalent to an Anglo-American Major-General
- ^ Equivalent to an Anglo-American Brigadier-General
- ^ Equivalent to an Anglo-American Brigadier-General
- ^ Equivalent to an Anglo-American Brigadier-General
- ^ Should be 361st, 346th assigned to 217th Inf Div, the 361st was formed in theatre from former French Foreign Legionnaires of German origin
- ^ Panzergrenadier Regiment Afrika, the three battalions listed after this are not part of this 8-to-10 company detachment
- ^ Equivalent to an Anglo-American Major-General
- ^ Equivalent to an Anglo-American Brigadier-General
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Joslen, p. 566
- ^ Joslen, p. 573
- ^ Pakenham-Walsh, pp. 385 & 393.
- ^ name="Joslen567">Joslen, p. 567
- ^ Joslen, p. 567
- ^ Joslen, p. 568
- ^ "El Alamein - Il XXI Corpo d'Armata". Italian Army. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
- ^ "El Alamein - Il XX Corpo d'Armata". Italian Army. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
- ^ a b c "El Alamein - Lo schieramento italiano". Italian Army. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
- ^ "El Alamein - Il X Corpo d'Armata". Italian Army. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
- ^ "186° Reggimento Paracadutisti "Folgore" - La Storia". Italian Army. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
- ^ "187° Reggimento Paracadutisti "Folgore" - La Storia". Italian Army. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
- ^ "185° Reggimento Artiglieria Paracadutisti "Folgore" - La Storia". Italian Army. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
- ^ "8° Reggimento Genio Guastatori Paracadutisti "Folgore" - La Storia". Italian Army. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
- ^ Stationed at Bardia.
- ^ Stationed at Siwa Oasis.
Sources
[edit]- Joslen, H.F. (2003) [1st Pub. HMSO 1960]. Orders of battle : Second World War, 1939-1945. Uckfield: Naval & Military Press. ISBN 1-84342-474-6.
- Pakenham-Walsh, Maj-Gen R.P. (1958). History of the Royal Engineers. Vol. VIII, 1938–1948. Chatham: Institution of Royal Engineers.
Web
[edit]- Wendell, Marcus. "Axis History Factbook: German army order of battle". Retrieved 2007-07-23.
- Wendell, Marcus. "Axis History Factbook: Italian army order of battle". Retrieved 2007-07-23.
- "Orders of Battle.com". Archived from the original on 2007-07-17. Retrieved 2007-07-23.
- "World War II unit histories and officers". Archived from the original on 2007-06-26. Retrieved 2007-07-23.
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