Table of Contents
Welcome.
You have arrived at The CRUSADER Project, either by a link on a discussion forum, or through a Google search using a clever search term. If you want to know what this project is about, start reading this page. If you have been here before, you may want to know what has changed recently. You’re in luck, I recently added an updates page, which you can find at this link. If at any given time you want to return to the Table of Contents, simply click on the picture on the top of the page.
Apart from the main purpose, I am also always happy to help those who had relatives in this battle, regardless of which army they fought with. Simply drop me a comment on the relevant page. I have already been able to help some to learn more about the services and sacrifices made by their fathers or grandfathers, and it is one of the pleasures of this work to be able to do this.
Why am I doing this? My late grandfather served involuntarily in the Wehrmacht in the counter-battery branch of the artillery, fighting in Poland, Holland, Belgium, and France, before moving to Russia. He ended the war in Denmark. He died two years ago of old age. His experience inspired me to learn more about this chapter in Germany’s history, and I ended up with this project, which is better suited to my language abilities than trying to do justice to the war in Russia.
A small note of caution – this table of contents will only put posts under their major categories, not into multiple categories. The choice of category is made by me and maybe erratic. 
I hope the Table contains all the pages, but I may have missed some due to a move to a new service provider a while back.
Naval Forces
Supply Statistics for North Africa
Successful Italian Convoys November 1941
Italian Naval Vessels engaged during CRUSADER
Transport Ship Tonnage Losses on the Italy-Libya Route
German Sonar on Italian Naval Vessels
The Emergency Supply Programme of 22 November 1941
Commonwealth Prisoners of War Killed at Sea by Royal Navy Submarines
Sinking of Submarine HMS P.38 on 23 February 1942
Submarine Supplies to North Africa 1941
Naval Personnel Losses during CRUSADER
Survivor Interrogation Reports of German Submarines
German AA gun installations on Axis merchants – 26 Nov. 41
German Radio Intercepts Relating to Convoy Operation MF3 and Loss of SS Thermopylae
Ground Forces
Major Ground Commands and Commanders
11th Indian Brigade in CRUSADER
Italian Division Strengths on 1 February 1942
German General Officer Casualties During CRUSADER
Battalion Kolbeck on Ed Duda 1/2 Dec 41
Sonderverband 288′s Arrival in Africa
Finding your way around the battlefield – German style
The Tobruk Amphibious Assault Scare
Who used the French Canon de 155mm Schneider C guns?
Day 1 of the Tobruk Breakout from the German Side
German Army Unit Designations Explained
Defending Position 19 – Part 2 Retreat from the Tobruk Front
Kampfgruppe Burckhardt in North Africa Jan – March 42
German Firing Trials Against the Matilda II Infantry Tank 19 March 1942
German and Italian new self-propelled anti-tank guns during CRUSADER
Bencol – Advance on Benghazi Part I
22 Armoured Brigade and the Delay in Starting the Operation
Losses of German 15th Armoured Division
Commonwealth Tank Numbers when CRUSADER started
Mechanical Failures of 7 Armoured Division tanks – workshop report
More Info on the Use of the French 155mm Mle.1917 gun
The Italian Parachute Carabinieri Battalion in CRUSADER
‘Sunscreen’ British Armour Camouflage
Some more on the French 155mm Mle.1917 gun
1st Carabinieri Parachute Battalion in North Africa 1941
Personnel Losses in the German Army Artillery during CRUSADER
Panzerregiment 5 at the End of CRUSADER
Experience with Tanks of 2 Armoured Brigade, January 1942
Some more on experience with Cruiser tanks, Jan. 42
Brandenburger Special Forces in North Africa, 1941
German Tanks Sent in January 1942
Use of the 3.7″ AA gun in the Ground Role – Lessons Learned 1942
The first and last battle of 2 Armoured Brigade – 23 January 1942
Air Forces
The major air commands and commanders
A look on the waterlogged landing grounds
Italian Air Force frontline strength
Daily Italian Air Force History
Regia Aeronautica Fighter Planes during CRUSADER
Regia Aeronautica Bombers during CRUSADER
More on I./StG3′s transfer to North Africa
RAF Strength in the Middle East November 1941
Luftwaffe raid on Giarabub 15 November 41
Daily Report by Fliegerfuehrer Afrika 23 Nov. 41
Luftwaffe Intel Assessment of Desert Air Force Strength 20 Nov. 41
Boeing B-17 bombers in the Middle East, 1941
Flight Archive on the Free French Air Force in 1941
Ground Support by the Western Desert Air Force
Operation Report No.12 S.A.A.F. Squadron, 29 November 1941
Some more on German Air Transport during CRUSADER
German Transport Aircraft Strength in Greece, December 1941
The B-24 Liberator during CRUSADER
The effectiveness of dive-bombing
Axis Air Strength for the Planned Attack on Tobruk in November 41
Effectiveness of Air Attacks on Axis Forces – 30 Dec 41 to 1 Jan 42
No. 107 Squadron’s costly shipping strike on 11 October 1941
Combat Reports and War Diaries
Italian Navy Reports on Engagements with Force K
Combat Report 15th Rifle Brigade 28 Dec. 1941
Combat Report Panzerregiment 8 29 November 41
Diary of Composite Squadron NEMO
An expensive visit to Castelveltrano
6 RTR War Diary 1 to 23 November 1941
Pictures from Force E’s Desert Ride to Gialo
War Diary Detachment 101 Special Wireless Section 26 Nov to 13 Dec 41
First Battle of Gazala 13 December 41
The Battle for 1 Army Tank Brigade’s repair workshop
Strategic, Intelligence, ULTRA
Countries Involved in Fighting During CRUSADER
Effect on Air Transport in Russia
German Strategy in the Mediterranean
The Impact of the War in the Far East
The Strategic Impact of the Counteroffensive
Rommel’s Misappreciation of the Battle – 2 Dec 41
‘The Good Source’ – the Axis intelligence success against US codes
Supply Requirements of German Forces – November 1941
Capacity of Tripoli and Benghazi ports
The end of the Halfaya garrison
German Code Names Used during CRUSADER
Protecting the Secrecy of Radio Interception
70 years ago today – 21 January 1942
Orders of Battle
OOB of 101st Motorised Infantry Division Trieste
Order of Battle Division z.b.V. Afrika (later 90th Light) for 10 November 41
OOB of 7th Armoured Brigade at the start of CRUSADER
The Tobruk Garrison at the Start of CRUSADER
8th Army’s OOB and tank strength after CRUSADER
Order of battle of a British Cruiser regiment in October 1941
New Zealand Division on Zaafran, 1 Dec 1941
OOB for a new Rifle Company Organisation in Panzerarmee
Number of Guns of 1 Armoured Division, 8 April 1942
Commonwealth Medium Guns on 5 November 1941
Captured Guns in Use by 13 Corps, 17 February 1942
OOB Data for Sonderverband 288
Tank arrivals for 42 R.T.R. before Operation CRUSADER
Biographical
Personal Pictures by an Italian Soldier
Literature
The Mediterranean Fleet – Greece to Tripoli
The War against Rommel’s Supply Lines
The Battles of the Malta Striking Forces
A short write-up on Reid’s Force E
History of 4th Armoured Brigade
Other
Happy 100th Birthday Royal Navy Aviation!
Minitiature Modelling of 22 Armoured Brigade
Operation CRUSADER in the News
Aerial Pictures of Tripoli, 1942
British Pathe Newsreels on Operation CRUSADER
Translation of Arab Terms on Maps
Rommel’s ACE Hardware, Chincoteague Island
Pictures from Duxford Flying Legends air show 2012
The War Illustrated on Operation CRUSADER
Book Content
Andreas?
I have just come across this website as I try to identify which of the RTR regiments my father was in at Tobruk. He was captured when it fell so he may heve been either 4RTR or 7RTR. Do you have any mention of him in your studies of the war diaries. I do not know when he enterd Tobruk but he was in the siege.
Any help would be fantastic
Hi Ben
I’ll have a look-see. Was he an officer or tank commander?
All the best
Andreas
Andreas,
I have come across this looking into the death of my grat uncle who served with 2nd Bn York and Lancaster regiment. Died 24/11/41, likely in build up to assault on strong point ‘Wolf’ from what I can gather. I was hoping you could point me in the direction of some of the articles you have which would be most relevant, or if by some chance you had come across references to him / his unit. He is 4745747 Sjt H W Green
I understand what you have may not be that specific, but I would be grateful for anything you would be able to provide!
Jon
Hi Jon
I am out on business for a few days, but I will have a look-see, and let you know what I can find.
All the best
Andreas
Hi Andreas,
Have you got any tips or sources I could look at for the actions of York and Lancaster Regiment?
Jon
Hi Jon
This one slipped my mind. I haven’t been able to find a regimental history that looks promising. Hi Jon
So in the absence of this, I would think primarily the regimental, brigade, and tobruk fortress war diaries are of interest? These are all on my list of things to get. I will go through the 4 RTR diaries for you (remind me please!), and in the meantime there is a bit of information here, which you are probably already aware of:
http://www.blackwatch.50megs.com/tobruk.html
And in these posts by me:
http://wp.me/phMWl-id
http://crusaderproject.wordpress.com/2009/08/15/the-tobruk-breakout-from-the-other-side-of-the-hill/
Both general situation, nothing specific on the 2 Y&L
Very sorry about completely forgetting about your question.
All the best
Andreas
Did you get my email Jon? I have something for you.
All the best
Andreas
Thanks for the info – a great insight into what the 2Y&L were doing, I will send you anything else I can dig out with any delving into the regimental archives or the war diary.
Jon
Hi Andreas,
First class work!
Could you be as kind as to drop me an email as there is something I would like to run past you :0
My warm regards,
Jack.
Hi Andreas, Thanks for your email, I have sent you a reply
Jon
Hello tried to contact you via ww2 talk, but it wouldn’t let me. My grandfather was lost on the ss chakdina.