Day: November 24, 2013

by

Panzergruppe Intelligence Assessment 24 November 1941

This report was sent to Berlin at 23.45 hours on 24 November.

Enemy behaviour 24 November 1941

Cauldron southeast Tobruk cleaned up. Large volume of captured war materials and rising prisoner numbers at present not completely clear. In the cauldron were fighting: 4 Armoured Brigade, 22 Armoured Brigade, Support Group 7 Armoured Division, and one brigade 1 South African Division. Only weak elements succeeded in escaping east and southeast. In the course of the day three battle groups were established:

  1. Under command 30 Corps south and southeast B. el Gubi 1 South African (minus one brigade) and 22 Guards Brigade (apparently in the main only arriving from Maddalena), remnants 4 Armoured Brigade, 4 South African Armoured Car battalion. In the area Gambut up to 25 km south of it newly arrived 2 brigades 2 South African Division, 1 battalion 1 Army Tank Brigade, and remnants 4 Armoured Brigade.

    Both groups remained in their areas today without major movements.

  2. Under command 13 Corps 4 Indian attacking Sollum front at Sidi Omar, 2 New Zealand on Sollum. Mass 1 Army Tank Brigade probably divided amongst the two division. Sollum front continues to hold.

    Enemy desert column Benghazi – Agedabia is reported to have reached Oasis Aujila (350km southeast of Benghazi) on 23 November.