Battle of Alam el Halfa order of battle
Encyclopedia
This is the order of battle
for the Battle of Alam el Halfa, a World War II
battle between the British Commonwealth
and the European Axis Powers
Germany
and Italy
in North Africa
between August 30 and September 5, 1942.
. This longer barrelled gun gave the Mark IV superior range than the Allied tanks. The Italian armoured divisions were made up of 243 tanks but these were mostly the obsolete M13/40
s.
The Allies had 500 that would see action during this battle. 170 of these were M3 Grant's
, the best tank the allies had access to at this time. The remaining tanks were made up of M3 Stuart's
, Crusader Mk II
cruiser tank
s and Valentine
infantry tanks.
Order of battle
In modern use, the order of battle is the identification, command structure, strength, and disposition of personnel, equipment, and units of an armed force participating in field operations. Various abbreviations are in use, including OOB, O/B, or OB, while ORBAT remains the most common in the...
for the Battle of Alam el Halfa, a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
battle between the British Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
and the European Axis Powers
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
and Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
between August 30 and September 5, 1942.
Allied forces
- Eighth ArmyEighth Army (United Kingdom)The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations of the British Army during World War II, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns....
: Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery- XIII CorpsXIII Corps (United Kingdom)XIII Corps was a British infantry corps during World War I and World War II.-World War I:XIII Corps was formed in France on 15 November 1915 under Lieutenant-General Walter Congreve to be part of Fourth Army. It was first seriously engaged during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. On the First day on...
- Lieutenant-General HorrocksBrian HorrocksLieutenant-General Sir Brian Gwynne Horrocks, KCB, KBE, DSO, MC was a British Army officer. He is chiefly remembered as the commander of XXX Corps in Operation Market Garden and other operations during the Second World War...
- 2nd New Zealand Division - Lieutenant-General Bernard FreybergBernard Freyberg, 1st Baron FreybergLieutenant-General Bernard Cyril Freyberg, 1st Baron Freyberg VC, GCMG, KCB, KBE, DSO & Three Bars , was a British-born New Zealand Victoria Cross recipient and soldier who later served as the seventh Governor-General of New Zealand.A veteran of the Mexican Revolution, he became an officer in the...
- 4th New Zealand Infantry Brigade - Brigadier Inglis
- 5th New Zealand Infantry Brigade - Brigadier KippenbergerHoward KippenbergerMajor-General Sir Howard Karl Kippenberger, KBE, CB, DSO, ED, , known as Kip, served as a New Zealand soldier in both World Wars.-Personal life:Howard Kippenberger married Ruth Isobel Flynn, of Lyttelton in 1922...
- 6th New Zealand Infantry Brigade - Brigadier Clifton
- British 132nd Infantry Brigade (attached from 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division) - Brigadier Robertson
- 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division - Major-General Hughes
- British 131st Infantry Brigade - Brigadier Frith
- British 133rd Infantry Brigade - Brigadier WhistlerLashmer WhistlerGeneral Sir Lashmer Gordon Whistler GCB, KBE, DSO & Two Bars, DL , known as Bolo, was a British army officer who served in the First and Second World Wars. In the Second World War he achieved senior ranks serving with Field Marshal Montgomery in North Africa and Europe...
- 7th Armoured Division - Major-General Renton
- 4th Light Armoured Brigade - Brigadier Carr
- 7th Motor Brigade - Brigadier Bosville
- 10th Armoured Division - Major-General Alexander GatehouseAlexander GatehouseMajor-General Alexander Hugh Gatehouse DSO & bar MC was a British Army officer who commanded 10th Armoured Division during World War II.-Military career:...
- 22nd Armoured Brigade - Brigadier George RobertsGeorge Philip Bradley RobertsMajor-General George Philip Bradley Roberts CB, DSO, MC, , better known as "Pip", was a British commander of an armoured division during the Second World War.-Military career:...
- 8th Armoured Brigade - Brigadier Custance
- 23rd Armoured Brigade - Brigadier Richards
- 22nd Armoured Brigade - Brigadier George Roberts
- 2nd New Zealand Division - Lieutenant-General Bernard Freyberg
- XIII Corps
Axis forces
- Panzer Armee AfrikaPanzer Army AfricaAs the number of German armed forces committed to the North Africa Campaign of World War II grew from the initial commitment of a small corps the Germans developed a more elaborate command structure and placed the now larger Afrika Korps, with Italian units under this new German command structure,...
- General Erwin RommelErwin RommelErwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
- Deutsches Afrika KorpsAfrika KorpsThe German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
- Walther NehringWalther NehringWalther Kurt Josef Nehring , was a German general of World War II, known for his involvement with the Afrika Korps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
(until 30 August), Fritz BayerleinFritz BayerleinFritz Bayerlein was a German panzer general during the Second World War.Fritz Bayerlein was born in Würzburg, Franconia, Germany. During the First World War, Bayerlein was drafted into the 9th Bavarian Infantry in 1917 and fought on the Western front. He was wounded and received an Iron Cross when...
(after 30 August)- 15th Panzer Division - Gustav von Vaerst
- 21st Panzer DivisionGerman 21st Panzer DivisionThe 21st Panzer Division was a German armoured division best known for its role in the battles of the North African Campaign from 1941–1943 during World War II when it was one of the two armoured divisions making up the Afrika Korps.-Origins:...
- Georg von BismarckGeorg von BismarckGeorg von Bismarck was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several panzer divisions. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or... - 90th Light DivisionGerman 90th Light Infantry DivisionThe 90th Light Infantry Division was a German Army division during World War II.- History :The 90th Light Infantry Division was created in August 1941 as Division z.b.V. Afrika, from units already in Africa under the control of Divisions-Kommando z.b.V. Afrika. The abbreviation z.b.V...
- Ulrich KleemannUlrich KleemannUlrich Kleemann was an officer in the German Army during World War II.Colonel Kleemann of the 3rd Motorized Infantry Brigade was awarded a Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 13 October 1941...
- Italian XX Motorised CorpsItalian XX Motorised CorpsThe Italian XX Motorised Corps was an armoured formation of the Italian army. The Corps took part in the Western Desert Campaign in World War II from summer 1941 to 1943...
- De Stefanis- 132 Armoured Division Ariete -
- 133 Armoured Division Littorio133 Armoured Division Littorio133. Armoured Division Littorio or 133. Divisione Corazzata Littorio was an armoured division of the Italian Army during World War II. The division was formed in 1939 from the Infantry Division Littorio that had taken part in the Spanish Civil War...
- - 101 Motorised Division Trieste -
- X Motorised Corps - Gioda
- 17 Motorised Division Pavia
- 27 Motorised Division Brescia
- 185 Airborne Division Folgore185 Airborne Division Folgore185. Airborne Division Folgore or 185. Divisione Paracadutisti Folgore was an Parachute Division of the Italian Army during World War II.-History:It was formed in September 1941, as the 1 Division Paracadutisti...
- Deutsches Afrika Korps
Tanks in use by both sides
Panzer Armee Afrika had 34 light and 193 medium tanks, of these 27 tanks were the new Panzer IV F2 with the long-barreled gun 75mm gun7.5 cm KwK 40
The 7.5 cm KwK 40 was a German 7.5 cm Second World War era vehicle mounted gun, used as the primary anti-tank weapon of the German medium tank the SdKfz.161 Panzerkampfwagen IV and the SdKfz.142 Sturmgeschütz III assault guns ...
. This longer barrelled gun gave the Mark IV superior range than the Allied tanks. The Italian armoured divisions were made up of 243 tanks but these were mostly the obsolete M13/40
Fiat M13/40
The Fiat-Ansaldo M13/40 was an Italian medium tank , designed to replace the Fiat L3, the Fiat L6/40 and the Fiat M11/39 in the Italian Army at the start of World War II...
s.
The Allies had 500 that would see action during this battle. 170 of these were M3 Grant's
M3 Lee
The Medium Tank M3 was an American tank used during World War II. In Britain the tank was called "General Lee", named after Confederate General Robert E. Lee, and the modified version built with a new turret was called the "General Grant", named after U.S. General Ulysses S. Grant.Design commenced...
, the best tank the allies had access to at this time. The remaining tanks were made up of M3 Stuart's
Stuart tank
The M3 Stuart, formally Light Tank M3, was an American light tank of World War II and supplied to British and Commonwealth forces under lend-lease prior to the entry of the U.S. into the war—and used thereafter by U.S...
, Crusader Mk II
Crusader tank
The Tank, Cruiser, Mk VI or A15 Crusader was one of the primary British cruiser tanks of the early part Second World War and perhaps the most important British tank of the North African Campaign...
cruiser tank
Cruiser tank
The cruiser tank was a British tank concept of the inter-war period. This concept was the driving force behind several tank designs which saw action during the Second World War....
s and Valentine
Valentine tank
The Tank, Infantry, Mk III, Valentine was an infantry tank produced in the United Kingdom during the Second World War. More than 8,000 of the type were produced in 11 different marks plus various purpose-built variants, accounting for approximately a quarter of wartime British tank production...
infantry tanks.