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PanzerBlitz Battle
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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