DESERT BATTLE 5: The Gauntlet (Page 117)

The Destruction of Gruppo Ornano at Beda Fomm, February 6, 1941, 0800 hours SITUATION The British have continued their Compass offensive into Cyrenaica capturing Tobruk and Bardia and now turning the southern flank of the Derna-Mechili line. The Italian 10 th Army is in full retreat, but on the afternoon of February 5 th, retreating elements of the army encountered an ambush at about kilometre stone 35 (35 kilometres north of Agedabia) and the retreat has stopped. Most of the combat units are in the north, acting as a rear guard, and the combat escort battalions of the retreating units have been disorganised or destroyed by the ambush. The only force immediately available to break through the road block is VI Medium Tank Battalion, called Gruppo Ornano (after its commander, Major Ornano). But before it can even get to the roadblock, it must fight its way past British armour attacking the retreating column from the open desert. WEATHER (OPTIONAL) Historic weather was overcast with occasional rain squalls. Sunrise: 0630 Sunset: 1700. BATTLEFIELD Roads: The road in solid black is a surfaced road. All others are tracks. Hills and Rises: Hills are shown in thick chain dash lines, all others are rises. Rough: Sand dunes. HISTORIC RESULT – BRITISH VICTORY General Tellera, the commander of 10th Army, took personal charge of the counterattack, and immediately split Gruppo Ornano into its three companies, placing one at the head of the retreating column, one behind, and one on the desert flank. Almost as soon as the advance began, Ornano’s lead company encountered ‘A’ Squadron of 2 nd RTR, holding hull-down positions on Ras er Zuella (“The Pimple” to the British). Ornano reinforced with his other companies and drove ‘A’/2 RTR well west of the road, to another low ridge marked by the tomb of Sidi Sueicher (“The Mosque” to the British). There ‘C’ Squadron, 2nd RTR joined the fight. Ornano probably lost most of a company (ten tanks) at the initial encounter at Ras er Zuella, eight more in the subsequent fight to push the British back away from the road, and seven or eight more at Sidi Sueicher, leaving him with not much more than the equivalent of a single strong company. While Ornano drove the British armour west, the main column, with Raggruppamento Pasquale acting as a close escort, continued south. ‘A’ Squadron, 2nd RTR then broke off the action at Sidi Sueicher and hurried south, catching up with the column at the southern extension of the low Ras er Zuella feature and halting it again. Ornano moved south at his best speed and at about 1100 renewed the attack on ‘A’ squadron, 2 nd RTR. Most of Ornano’s remaining tanks were lost here, and the surviving personnel made their way to the road and surrendered with the rest of the main column at about 1400 hours that day. Bergonzoli’s East Libyan Rearguard was still further north, and would run a similar gauntlet during the afternoon, but Ornano’s fight was over.

1Benghazi Handicap – Battles 1-5 (30-12-2014) British Army (Battle 5: The Destruction of Gruppo Ornano at Beda Fomm) Mission: Breakthrough (Defender, 700 points) Duration: 12 turns. Italians go first. Major Objective: Prevent the Italians exiting 25% or more of their units across the British baseline. Minor Objective: Prevent the Italians occupying the 3rd of the battlefield adjacent to the British baseline. Artillery & Air Assets: Yes. Enemy deployment: Static up to 20cm from the Italian baseline with option for a 1/3 rd depth flank deployment. No off-table artillery. Deployment: Static up to the centre of the battlefield using fixed or hasty field defences and off-table artillery. UNIT ROSTER

Note that the roster data has been modified from the standard BKC II rules to give the CO the CV of 9, the Mk VI an AT value of 0/40, and the Rolls Royce unit has had its save reduced to 7.

2Benghazi Handicap – Battles 1-5 (30-12-2014) Italian Army (Battle 5: The Destruction of Gruppo Ornano at Beda Fomm) Mission: Breakthrough (Attacker, 1400 points) Duration: 12 turns. Italians go first. Major Objective: Exit at least 25% of the Italian units across the British baseline. Minor Objective: Occupy the 3rd of the battlefield adjacent to the British baseline. Artillery & Air Assets: Yes. Enemy deployment: Static up to the centre of the battlefield using fixed or hasty field defences and off-table artillery. Deployment: Static up to 20cm from the Italian baseline with option for a 1/3 rd depth flank deployment of up to six units plus a command unit. UNIT ROSTER

Note that the roster data has been modified from the standard BKC II rules to include an entry for the 20mm portee air defence unit.

3Benghazi Handicap – Battles 1-5 (30-12-2014)