Reno's decisions from the timber to the hill

[Yan Taylor]

Got my field marshals mixed up there, going back to stalingrad, Hitler wouldn't even let the sixth army breakout to meet up with Hoths army, who failed by a whisker to reach them.

Ian

[wild]

Hi Ian
You must be about the last of the old timers still posting.

Just saying .....the Italians in North Africa more than held their own against British and commonwelth units.
In the main their role as providing the infantry element was accomplished to Rommels satisfaction.
At el alamain it was the Italian units that held their ground while the Germans grabbed the transport and hightailed it leaving the Italians to cover their retreat. And it was the Italian anti tank guns that stopped Monties tanks dead taking out over 70.
An Italian half battalion held Takrouna against a division ofthe Maoiris and the Italian 1ST army under General Masse that infilcted a tactical defeat at the Marat line on the 8th army. Masse got his Marshals baton for that days work.
There were times when neither the Axis forces nor the Allies performed well. On the Allied side you need look no further than Singapore with drunking Aussie troops deserting in their droves. Nor did the Yanks cover themselves in glory in the Philippines ....largest surrender of US forces in history.
A subject for another day anotherThread.
Best
Richard

[Yan Taylor]

I must be Richard.
You are correct, the Italian Airborne Division Folgore (around 4.500 men) held out against British, New Zealand, French and Greek forces before being forced to retreat on foot with only 300 getting back alive.
I suppose the Russians thought after looking at the Italian form so far in WW2, that they were weak, which they was in terms of Anti-Tank guns and Tanks, their 47mm ATG was useless against the Russian heavy tanks, their tanks earned the nick name “mobile coffins”.
The Italians started the war badly with defeats against the French and Greeks, then the total defeat at Beda Fomm against the British. They did finish with a victory against the Americans at Kasserine, the Centauro Division cracking open the line and over running the American 19th Engineer regiment in the process.

Ian

[wild]

Hi Ian
you know the subject well.
On the subject of the Italo/Greek War it was fought in appalliing conditions over a year in mountainious terrain with approx 120000 casualties on both sides.
The Italians were indeed driven back almost to their start lines but were in a better condition than the Greeks who were on their last legs, The Italans were in the process of mounting a counter attack when the Germans came sailing in to grab the glory. The Italians refused to cease fire until the Greeks surrendered to them.
Best
Richard