Operation Sonnenblume

Operation SonnenblumeOperation Sonnenblume (Sunflower) actually refers to the German emergency operation which sent troops to North Africa in February after the Italian 10th Army was destroyed by Allied forces. The original force of a few tanks was quickly upgraded to enough forces to cobble together a make-shift "armored" division designated the 5th Light Division. Rommel took this division along with some supporting Italian troops transferred over from the Fifth Army and began an offensive against the weakened Allied forces (several divisions had been sent to Greece). Additional forces were added as they became available, including the 15th Panzer Division in May and the Italian Ariete Armored Division.

Axis ForcesDeutsches Afrika KorpsCorps Troops5th Light Division15th Panzer DivisionAfrican DivisionXXI CorpsCorps Troops17th Pavi Division 25th Bologna Division 27th Brescia Division 102nd Trento Division XX CorpsCorps Troops101st Trieste Mechanized Division 132nd Ariete Armored Division RECAM

Allied ForcesCyrenaica CommandCorps Troops2nd Armored Division9th Australian Division

2nd

Machine

Gun

Battalion

x 2 x 2

75th

Artillery

Regiment

39th

Anti-Tank

Battalion

3rd

Recon

Battalion

zbV 200

Infantry

Regiment

German 5th Light Division March, 1941

606th

Light

Anti-Aircraft

Battalion x 4

5th

Panzer

Regiment

x 2 x 4 x 5 x 1

Panzer

Battalion

x 2

x 2

x 4

605th

Panzer

Jager

Battalion

8th

Machine

Gun

Battalion

x 2 x 6 x 8 x 4 x 3 x 4 x 3

33rd

Anti-Aircraft

Regiment

x 9 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 18 x 6

x 9 x 1 x 3 x 1 x 17 x 3

x 1 x 1 x 1 x 3 x 3 x 1 x 2

The 5th Light Division was a makeshift division built in piecemeal fashion from available units. It

was not organized like the previous light divisions used in the Polish Campaign and was called a light

division because it had a regiment of tanks but lacked enough pieces to qualify as a full panzer division.

The 5th Panzer Regiment was sent from the 3rd Panzer Division but only after its 37mm armed Pz III’s

were traded in for 50L42 armed tanks. The infantry component was composed of two machine gun bat-

talions put together in a provisional regiment (zbV 200). The artillery was only half a regiment. The

3rd Recon Battalion and 33rd Anti-Aircraft Regiment were also provided by the 3rd Panzer Division.

By Greg Moore

gregpanzerblitz.com

September, 2008

Pz I is early A version. Pz

II represents c version

with extra armor bolted

on. Most Pz III are early

production G model with-

out extra armor. Only a

few have the extra armor.

x 4 x 6

33rd

Artillery

Regiment

x 2 x 6

33rd

Anti-tank

Battalion

104th

Infantry

Regiment

x 9 x 13

15th

Motorcycle

Battalion

x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1

15th Panzer Division DAK May, 1941

33th

Pionier

Battalion

x 9

Panzer

Battalion

x 2

x 2

x 2

2/608

Anti-Aircraft

Company

8th

Panzer

Regiment

115th

Infantry

Regiment

x 6

x 8

x 1 x 1 x 1 x 2 x 3

x 9 x 1 x 1 x 1

Infantry

Battalion

x 2

x 15 x 1 x 2

x 1 x 1 x 1 x 2 x 3

x 9 x 1 x 1 x 1

Infantry

Battalion

x 2

x 15 x 1 x 2

x 3

x 4 x 2 x 5 x 1 x 1

Most Pz III are brand new

from the factory and have

the extra armor, a few are

older and do not. Some Pz

IV with extra armor, some

without.

33rd

Recon

Battalion

x 1 x 1 x 1 x 3 x 3 x 2 x 4

By Greg Moore

gregpanzerblitz.com

September, 2008

The 15th Panzer Division

was not available for the

start of Rommel’s offensive

but elements did arrive in

time for the first assault on

Tobruk.

x 2 x 2

361st

Artillery

Battalion

155th

Infantry

Regiment

Division zb V Afrika DAK June, 1941

361st

Light

Africa

Regiment

x 1 x 2 x 3

x 9 x 1 x 1 x 1

Infantry

Battalion

x 2

x 15 x 1 x 2

By Greg Moore

gregpanzerblitz.com

March, 2009

This regiment is mostly former

French Foreign Legionnaires

of German origin.

2nd

Italian

Celere

Artillery

Regiment x 4 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 6

x 9

II/255

Infantry

Battalion

x 2 x 9 x 2

III/347

Infantry

Battalion

This is make-shift division cobbled together from spare parts especially for the assault on Tobruk. It

includes Germans, Italians, and former members of the French Foreign Legion. Amazingly, this divi-

sion eventually became an elite fighting unit. It was upgraded to the German 90th Light Infantry Divi-

sion in November of 1941.

x 1 x 2 x 3

x 9 x 1 x 1 x 1

Infantry

Battalion

x 3

x 15 x 1 x 2

580th

Recon

Company

900th

Engineer

Battalion

x 9 x 9

x 4

605th

Panzer

Jager

Battalion

x 2 x 1

Actual com-

position un-

known. This

is a guess

Italian XXI Corps Troops March, 1941

x 8 x 4

5th

Army

Artillery

Group

By Greg Moore

gregpanzerblitz.com

March 2009

x 4 x 8

340th

Engineer

Battalion

x 3 x 3

x 6 x 4

16th

Corps

Artillery

Regiment x 4 x 6

x 4 x 3

24th

Corps

Artillery

Regiment x 3 x 4

x 4 x 4

3rd

Motorized

Artillery

Regiment x 4 x 4 x 2 x 2

Italian 17th Mot. Infantry Division (Pavia) March, 1941

27th

Infantry

Regiment

x 9

I

Infantry

Battalion

x 2

x 6 x 4

26th

Artillery

Regiment

By Greg Moore

gregpanzerblitz.com

March 2009

x 4 x 3

Mortar

Company

x 3

Anti-Tank

Battalion

x 8 x 11

x 11 x 9

II

Infantry

Battalion

x 2

28th

Infantry

Regiment

x 9

I

Infantry

Battalion

x 2 x 11 x 9

II

Infantry

Battalion

x 2

x 3 x 3 x 3

Infantry

Gun

Company

x 6

17th

Mixed

Engineer

Battalion x 3 x 3 x 5

5th

Light

Tank

Battalion

(attached x 5

6th

Armored

Car

Battalion

(attached

The Pavia Division had been raised and shipped to North Africa to serve as part of the Libyan gar-

rison. During Rommel’s offensive, the Pavia Division attacked up the coastal road skirmishing with the

9th Australian rearguard all the way to Tobruk. The Pavia Division then participated in the siege of To-

bruk until the town was finally relieved in November. The Pavia Division continued to serve in North

Africa until finally destroyed at El Alamein in November of 1942. Though technically a motorized divi-

sion, the Italians were chronically short on transport and only had enough trucks to transport half the

infantry battalions.

Italian 25th Mot. Infantry Division (Bologna) March, 1941

39th

Infantry

Regiment

x 4 x 4

205th

Artillery

Regiment

x 4

By Greg Moore

gregpanzerblitz.com

March 2009

x 4 x 3

Mortar

Company

x 3

Anti-Tank

Battalion

x 8 x 11

40th

Infantry

Regiment

x 3 x 3 x 3

Infantry

Gun

Company

x 8

The Bolgna Division participated in the siege of Tobruk where it successfully defended against sev-

eral counterattacks by the Commonwealth forces. The division continued to fight in North Africa until

the survivors were forced to surrender at El Alamein, having run out of food, water, and ammunition.

x 9

I

Infantry

Battalion

x 2 x 11 x 9

II

Infantry

Battalion

x 2

x 9

I

Infantry

Battalion

x 2 x 11 x 9

II

Infantry

Battalion

x 2

Italian 27th Mot. Infantry Division (Brescia) March, 1941

19th

Infantry

Regiment

x 4 x 4

55th

Artillery

Regiment

x 3

By Greg Moore

gregpanzerblitz.com

March 2009

x 4 x 3

Mortar

Company

x 3

Anti-Tank

Battalion

x 8 x 11

These Italian Motorized Divisions only had enough trucks to transport one battalion at a time out of

each regiment. The third battalion from each regiment is back in Tripoli. The Brescia Division saw

much action in the siege of Tobruk and was involved in many raids and several attacks against the de-

fenders.

20th

Infantry

Regiment

x 3 x 3 x 3

Infantry

Gun

Company

x 7

x 9

I

Infantry

Battalion

x 2 x 11 x 9

II

Infantry

Battalion

x 2

x 9

I

Infantry

Battalion

x 2 x 11 x 9

II

Infantry

Battalion

x 2

Italian 102nd Mot. Infantry Division (Trento) March, 1941

61st

Infantry

Regiment

x 9

Infantry

Battalion

x 2

x 4 x 4

46th

Artillery

Regiment

x 4 x 4

x 3

Mortar

Company

x 3

551st

Anti-Tank

Battalion

x 8 x 11

x 11

x 9

Infantry

Battalion

x 2

62nd

Infantry

Regiment

x 9

Infantry

Battalion

x 2 x 11

x 9

Infantry

Battalion

x 2

x 3

x 3 x 3

Infantry

Gun

Company

x 8

By Greg Moore

gregpanzerblitz.com

March, 2009

Italian XX Corps Troops March, 1941

By Greg Moore

gregpanzerblitz.com

March 2009

x 2 x 1

24th

Corps

Artillery

Regiment x 1 x 2

One battalion detached

from 24th Army Artil-

lery Group

Italian 101st Mot. Infantry Division (Trieste) March, 1941

65th

Infantry

Regiment

x 9

Infantry

Battalion

x 2

x 3

Mortar

Company

x 3

x 11

x 9

Infantry

Battalion

x 2

66th

Infantry

Regiment

By Greg Moore

gregpanzerblitz.com

April, 2009

9th

Bersaglieri

Regiment

x 6

11th

Infantry

Battalion

x 2 x 9 x 1

x 9 x 2 x 12 x 1

x 2 x 2

x 1

x 9

Infantry

Battalion

x 2 x 11

x 9

Infantry

Battalion

x 2

x 2 x 2

x 1

8th

Motorcycle

Battalion

32nd

Mixed

Engineer

Battalion x 3 x 3

x 2 x 3

21st

Artillery

Regiment

x 4 x 3

101st

Anti-Tank

Battalion

x 2 x 2

x 6

Italian 132nd Armored Division (Ariete) March, 1941

x 6 x 4

132nd

Artillery

Regiment

x 2 x 4

32nd

Regiment

Carrista

x 8 x 8 x 8 x 8

I II III VII

8th

Bersaglieri

Regiment

x 6

5th

Infantry

Battalion

x 2 x 9 x 1

x 9

3rd

Motorcycle

Battalion

x 2 x 12 x 1

x 8

In 1941, Italy decided to deploy one of its few armored divisions to North Africa. Pieces of the

division (mainly tank battalions) had been sent previously to North Africa but now the entire division

was deployed. The Ariete division began unloading in January and was available for Rommel’s offen-

sive in April. At this point, Ariete contained one regiment of tanks with most being obsolete light

tanks. As the campaign developed, the Ariete Division received more and better tanks, although they

were never the equal of what Britain was bringing to the fight. Despite its shortcomings, the division

was a very valuable mobile tank division in Rommel’s force and proved itself many times in the cam-

paign.

x 6

12th

Infantry

Battalion

x 2 x 9 x 1

x 2 x 2

3rd

Anti-Tank

Battalion

By Greg Moore

gregpanzerblitz.com

Revised Oct, 2009

Raggruppamento Esplorante del Corpo d’armata di manovra

(RECAM) May, 1941

x 1

Artillery

Mobile

Gruppe

Volaire x 1 x 2

Contains pieces of the 32nd Lt.

Arm. Batn, the 52nd Med. Arm.

Batn, and an experimental light tank

and armored car company. x 2 x 1 x 1 x 1

x 6

I

Battalion

x 2 x 9 x 1

x 6

Polizia

Afrika

Italiana

Motorcycle

Battalion x 1 x 8 x 1

x 1

RECAM was a special mobile reconnaissance group put together from scattered pieces.

x 6

II

Battalion

x 2 x 9 x 1

By Greg Moore

gregpanzerblitz.com

June, 2009

Mixed

Tank

Battalion

GGFF

Battalion

Gruppe

Represents two battalions

of elite Giovani Fascisti

infantry.

x 1

x 3 x 3

Machine

Gun

Company

x 3

x 3 x 1

Artillery was a

mixed group of

“flying batter-

ies” with some

mounted on

trucks.

Cyrnaica Command Corps Troops April, 1941

295th

Field

Company

Royal

Engineer x 3 x 3

By Greg Moore

gregpanzerblitz.com

March, 2009

1st

Free French

Motor

Battalion

(-)

x 12 x 12

37th

Light

Anti-

Aircraft

Regiment

x 6 x 1 x 7 x 3 x 1

51st

RCY

Artillery

Regiment

x 4

552nd

Field

Company

Royal

Engineer x 3 x 3

Forces available at the start of the campaign

Forces that arrived after the start of the campaign

x 9

2nd

Royal

Lancers

Cavalry

Regiment x 9

35th

Field

Squadron

Royal

Indian

Engineers x 3 x 3

2/3rd

Australian

Anti-tank

Company

(attached) x 3 x 3

Indian 3rd Motorized Brigade

The Brigade had only been recently transferred to this front and

was not complete. During the campaign, the brigade was ordered to

defend Mechili against the Axis spearheads, despite an almost com-

plete lack of heavy weapons and missing two cavalry regiments.

After refusing three different surrender demands, the brigade fought

a stiff action before being mostly destroyed. Their stand bought

valuable time for the defenders of Tobruk to arrive and prepare.

x 2 x 1

1st Battalion,

King’s Royal

Rifle Corps

x 11 x 9 x 1

x 4 x 3

11th

Hussars

Recon

Battalion x 2

British 2nd Armoured Division April, 1941

x 2

1st Tower

Hamlets

Rifles

Infantry

Battalion

x 3 x 3

1st

Royal

Horse

Artillery

x 10

4th Royal

Engineers

Squadron

x 4 x 4 x 3 x 3

104th

Royal

Horse

Artillery

x 6

1st King’s

Dragoon

Guards

Divisional

Reece

Regiment x 3 x 3

Light

Anti-Aircraft

Battery

3rd

Hussars

3rd

Armoured

Brigade

5th

Battalion

Royal Tank

Regiment

By Greg Moore

gregpanzerblitz.com

February, 2009

6th

Battalion

Royal Tank

Regiment

x 3 x 2 x 6

x 2

x 9 x 1

x 3 x 2

x 3 x 3

The hard luck 2nd Armoured Division was brought in to replace the 7th Armoured after the highly

successful Operation Compass. The 2nd was an inexperienced and seriously understrength formation

with half of its tank strength consisting of captured Italian tanks and was destroyed in Rommel’s offen-

sive. Some remnants escaped to Tobruk but most of the division surrendered to the Axis at Mechili on

April 8. The 2nd Armoured Division was officially disbanded in May and never reformed.

x 3 x 3

16th

Australian

Anti-Tank

Company

(attached)

1st Company

Free French

Motor

Battalion

(attached) x 3 x 3

C Company,

1st Battalion

Northumber-

land

Fusiliers

x 3 x 3

J Battery

3rd RHA

Anti-Tank

1 company,

1st Frontier

Force

Motorized

Battalion

(attached) x 3 x 3

20th

Infantry

Brigade

24th

Infantry

Brigade

26th

Infantry

Brigade

By Greg Moore

gregpanzerblitz.com

Updated June, 2009

x 2 x 12

x 1

Infantry

Battalion

x3

x 13 x 1

x 1 x 3 x 3

20th

Anti-Tank

Company

2/13th Battalion

2/15th Battalion

2/17th Battalion

x 2 x 12

x 1

Infantry

Battalion

x3

x 13 x 1

x 1 x 3 x 3

24th

Anti-Tank

Company

2/23rd Battalion

2/28th Battalion

2/43rd Battalion

x 2 x 12

x 1

Infantry

Battalion

x3

x 13 x 1

x 1 x 3 x 3

26th

Anti-Tank

Company

2/24th Battalion

2/32nd Battalion

2/48th Battalion

x 4 x 4

2/7th

RAA

Regiment

x 4 x 4

2/8th

RAA

Regiment

x 4 x 4

2/12th

RAA

Regiment

2/32nd

Battalion

arrived by

sea after

the siege of

Tobruk

began.

Australian 9th Infantry Division April, 1941

2/3rd, 2/7th,

2/13th

Royal

Australian

Engineers x 9 x 3

x 6 x 3

9th

Australian

Divisional

Cavalry

Regiment

x 12

2/3rd

Australian

Machine Gun

Regiment

The Australian 9th Infantry Division was formed in England in late 1940 from brigades coming

over from Australia. The division was sent to the Middle East and then to North Africa to complete its

training and equipping. It was supposed to be part of a garrison force in Libya but soon found itself in

the middle of Rommel’s offensive. The inexperienced Aussies managed to fall back in good order to

Tobruk with minimal casualties and became the foundation of the defense of that important port. The

tough Aussies were ordered to try to hold the town for at least two months until relieved. They success-

fully defended Tobruk for over six months against repeated Axis attacks until Operation Crusader finally

broke the siege, earning themselves a special place in history. The 9th suffered over 3000 casualties in

their defense of Tobruk.

Note: although the division was not completely motorized, the resourceful Australians managed to

acquire enough motorized transport during the retreat to move their entire division back to Tobruk in

good order. This sometimes involved towing flatbed trailers or broken down vehicles full of troops but

they got the job done.

2/3rd

Light

Anti-Aircraft

Regiment

x 6 x 6