 |
||
 |
 |
|
Welcome to Havoc Guest writers, a place were, club members have the chance to post their articles or historical facts. We at HAVOC would like all you players out there to have the opportunity to post them here. So if you have some/any interesting historical facts or articles pertaining two WWII, that you feel the club members might enjoy. Please forward it along to and we will include them in this column.
This month we have a couple great ones for you!!!
Thanks and enjoy
Solar
Operations in World War II
Fellow Warriors,In subsequent issues of the "Havoc" I hope to bring you short articles about military operations from World War II. I hope you find the lecture interesting.
"Aberdeen"
Aberdeen was the name the offensive against General field marshal Erwin Rommel initiated against the British 8th Army (Ritchie). The goal of this offensive was to go around the British Ghalasa-front, and it was initiated in May / June 1942. "Aberdeen" started on the 4th of June. The intention was to cut the attackers off by cutting breaches into the lines of the encircled axis troops, which were located in the northeast of the German / Italian main advance. Despite heavy losses by the defenders under General der Infantrie Nehring (190 of 320 tanks were lost), "Aberdeen" was a major defeat of the 8th Army, losing almost all the attacking troops. In the middle of the British front line there was a large gap, but Rommel couldn't take advantage of this because he was engaged in the battle of Bir Hacheim, which led to a delayed fall of Tobruk on the 21st of June.
"Axis" (Case Axis)
Codename of operations, which should be taken in event that Italy, fell from the alliance with Germany. One week after the final surrender of the German / Italian "Heeresgruppe Afrika" (which was the end of the Axis African campaign), the "Chef des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht" Keitel presented an operational plan for the Italian peninsula and the Italian occupied sector of France: Codename "Alarich". After the imprisonment of Mussolini on the 25.7.43, it was renamed "Axis".
The plan included:
1. Taking back the endangered fronts and evacuation of the islands of Corsica and Sardinia.
2. "Neutralization" of the Italian forces
3. Gaining the control over the military command posts.
4. Seizure of all Italian aircraft and anti aircraft guns by the Luftwaffe
5. Blockade of the Italian navy in their homeports
Immediately after the special peace treaty of the September, 3rd 1943 Supreme Commander South Kesselring activated Case Axis. While Rommel imprisoned the troops of the former ally in northern Italy, Kesselring only seized the weapons of the Italian forces in the south, which was completed after several days (Rome was put under German control on the 10th of September). Most of the Italian navy escaped to the open seas, with few losses to the Luftwaffe (e.g. the battleship Roma).
"Acrobat"
Codename for plans of the 8th British army to conquer Tripolitania in northern Africa in 1941 / 1942. These plans were to be carried out after the success of operation "Crusader", which included pushing the German / Italian troops back to Mersa Brega. "Acrobat" had to be cancelled as the plans to support the Mediterranean fleet failed after heavy losses (the Ark Royal, Alexandria).
I hope you enjoyed reading these articles. Until next time,
Kind Regards,
Jochen Gippert a.k.a. The GroeFaZ
On the Bismarck
Early in the war the only "enigma" signals that were readily De-coded by the Brits were the Luftwaffe, the navy codes were still pretty much un-breakable during the Bismarck chase. After the action with the Hood, and Prince of Wales, the Bismarck shook off the two British cruisers following her. The Bismarck could be anywhere as far as the British were concerned, and then fate, in the form of a concerned parent, stepped in. It seems that the Luftwaffe chief of staff "Hans Jeschonneck" anxiously inquired about the welfare of his youngest son stationed aboard the Bismarck. Hans’s staff in Berlin found out that the Bismarck was headed for the coast of France, and sent this info to Hans using the Luftwaffe enigma codes. You guessed it this message was intercepted by the British and Bismarck’s fate was sealed.I am somewhat of a WWII naval buff and have read several books on the "Bismarck saga". I found it interesting that despite the full efforts of the Brits including U.S. assistance it took something as simple as the natural concern of a parent for their children to find something that couldn't be found otherwise. I know there is a message there somewhere!!!
Strategicspock
Back to of page
Back to of page