- Operation Skorpion
-
Operation Skorpion Part of Western Desert Campaign 
This map charts Rommel's first offensive and the British counterattacks, 24 March–17 June 1941Date 26-27 May 1941 Location Halfaya Pass, Egypt Result Axis Victory Belligerents 
United Kingdom
GermanyCommanders and leaders William Gott
Maximilian von HerffStrength Elements of:
- British XIII Corps
1 Infantry Battalion and supporting armsElements of:
Casualties and losses 173 casualties[1]
12 artillery pieces
5 infantry tanksInvasion of Egypt – Compass – Bardia – Kufra – Sonnenblume – Bardia raid – Tobruk – Brevity – Skorpion – Battleaxe – Flipper – Crusader – Gazala – Bir Hakeim – 1st Alamein – Alam Halfa – Agreement – 2nd Alamein – El AgheilaAfter a small lull in the fighting following Operation Brevity, the Germans deployed three assault groups up in front of Halfaya Pass during the evening of 26 May and attacked the next morning.[2] The Coldstream Guards and supporting units fought well but could not stop the Germans from securing a commanding position, leaving the British in danger of being surrounded and cut off. During the morning, Brigadier Gott authorized a withdrawal and Lt. Colonel Moubray extricated his force with great skill, but at the cost of 173 casualties (100 casualties alone within the 3rd Coldstream Guards[3]), four field guns, eight anti-tank guns, and five Infantry tanks.[1] This meant that the Afrika Korps had now retaken all ground lost to the British during Operation Brevity.
Contents
See also
References
- Howard, Michael; Sparrow, John (1951). The Coldstream Guards, 1920-1946. Oxford University Press.
- Jentz, Thomas L. (1998). Tank Combat In North Africa: The Opening Rounds, Operations Sonnenblume, Brevity, Skorpion and Battleaxe, February 1941 - June 1941. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-76430-226-4.
- Playfair, Major-General I.S.O.; with Flynn R.N., Captain F.C.; Molony, Brigadier C.J.C. & Toomer, Air Vice-Marshal S.E. (2004) [1st. pub. HMSO 1956]. Butler, J.R.M. ed. The Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume II The Germans come to the help of their Ally (1941). History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. Naval & Military Press. ISBN 1-84574-066-1.
- Rommel, Erwin; Liddell-Hart, Basil (editor) (1982) [1953]. The Rommel Papers. Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-30680-157-4.
Footnotes
External links
- Bradford, George R. ""BREVITY" and its Impact on the DAK". Archived from the original on 2009-10-26. http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/firefly1002000/brevity.html&date=2009-10-25+22:14:18.
- Paterson, Ian A. "History of the British 7th Armoured Division: Operation Brevity". http://www.btinternet.com/~ian.a.paterson/battles1941.htm#Brevity.
Categories:- North African Campaign
- Western Desert Campaign
- Egypt in World War II
- Battles and operations of World War II involving the United Kingdom
- Battles and operations of World War II involving Italy
- Conflicts in 1941
- 1941 in Egypt
- Military operations of World War II involving Germany
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
