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Sidi Rezegh and Tobruk Two South African Military Disasters Revisited 1941 - 1942

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Sidi Rezegh and Tobruk Two South African Military Disasters Revisited 1941 - 1942 SIDI REZEGH AND TOBRUK TWO SOUTH AFRICAN MILITARY DISASTERS REVISITED 1941 - 1942 by DAVID BROCK KATZ Thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Military Science (Military History) in the Faculty of Military Science at Stellenbosch University. Supervisor: Prof I.J. van der Waag Co-Supervisor: Prof G.E. Visser December 2014 Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za “Declaration” By submitting this thesis electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (save to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. Date: 12 November 2014 Copyright © 2014 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za ABSTRACT Sidi Rezegh and Tobruk are the largest disasters suffered by South Africa in its military history. Yet, despite their enormity, Sidi Rezegh and Tobruk are little understood and hardly remembered. South Africa declared war on Germany on the 6 September 1939, after a bitter internal debate, amounting to a conflict between Afrikaner nationalists and those who supported the British Empire. South Africa’s political ambivalence and disunity ran parallel to her unpreparedness for war in every important department from the lack of vital coastal defences to the miniscule size of her army and air force and complete lack of a navy. The first six months of 1941 saw the South Africans play a significant part in completely defeating the Italian colonial forces in East Africa. However, the campaign was poor preparation for what the South Africans were to encounter in the North African Desert months later. South African troops spent their time rebuilding fortifications in Egypt rather than in essential training to acclimatise this “bush war” army to harsh desert conditions. In a reluctant political decision, the unprepared South Africans were committed to Operation Crusader. The inexperienced South Africans met up with the battle hardened Afrika Korps at Sidi Rezegh on 23 November 1941 and were annihilated in the face of overwhelming odds. In revisiting this forgotten battle, it has been found, using primary and secondary sources, that the South Africans extracted an enormous price on the German armour in what may have been the true turning point of Operation Crusader. In May 1942, Rommel’s Afrika Korps sallied forth in a series of lightning moves that demonstrated the Axis grip on combined operations and managed to isolate the vital port of Tobruk commanded by an inexperienced South African, Major General H. B. Klopper. His surrender in one day is often compared to the previous siege endured under similar circumstances, where the Australians managed to hold Rommel at bay for 244 days until the siege was lifted. Klopper’s surrender of Tobruk resulted in a political crisis for Winston Churchill and for Jan Smuts, as the fiasco caused considerable tension within the Allied camp and within South Africa. On re-examination, interesting facts have emerged from the primary source material, as to the state of the Tobruk defences and of its unfortunate commander and how the United Kingdom, acting in concert with South Africa, sought to suppress the true facts. Immediate post-war memory has been shaped and distorted by sensitive political considerations that affected relations between South Africa and the United Kingdom. Thereafter, the memory of Sidi Rezegh and Tobruk was relegated first by a nationalistic Afrikaner government and then since by a democratically elected government, both of which have seen very little use in incorporating these two milestones into the national memory. Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za OPSOMMING Sidi Rezegh en Tobruk is die grootste nederlae wat Suid-Afrika in sy militêre geskiedenis ervaar het. Ten spyte van hul omvang, word daar min van Sidi Rezegh en Tobruk verstaan of onthou. Na ‘n hewige interne debat wat tot konflik tussen Afrikanernasionaliste en pro-Britse Suid-Afrikaners gelei het, het Suid-Afrika op 6 September 1939 oorlog teen Duitsland verklaar. Suid-Afrika se politieke verdeeldheid het saamgeval met die Unie se totale onvoorbereidheid vir oorlog, wat gestrek het van kritieke tekortkominge in kusverdediging, tot die ontoereikende grootte van die leër en lugmag en die totale afwesigheid van ‘n vloot. Gedurende die eerste ses maande van 1941 het Suid-Afrika ‘n beduidende rol gespeel om die Italiaanse koloniale magte in Oos-Afrika te verslaan. Dié veldtog was egter nie effektiewe voorbereiding vir die uitdagings waarteen die Suid-Afrikaners kort daarna in Noord-Afrika te staan sou kom nie. Die Suid-Afrikaanse troepe het daarby hul tyd daaraan bestee om vestings in Egipte te herbou in plaas daarvan om noodsaaklike opleiding te ondergaan om hul “bosoorlog”-leër vir ruwe woestynoorlogvoering voor te berei. ‘n Huiwerige, teensinnige politieke besluit het die onvoorbereide Suid-Afrikaners tot Operasie Crusader verbind. Die onervare Suid- Afrikaners het op 23 November 1941 by Sidi Rezegh teen die geharde Afrika Korps te staan gekom, waar oorweldigende magte hulle verpletter het. ‘n Heroorweging van hierdie vergete veldslag aan die hand van primêre en sekondêre bronne het aan die lig gebring dat die Suid-Afrikaners ‘n hoë tol van die Duitse pantser geëis het, wat besmoontlik die ware keerpunt in Operasie Crusader gebring het. In Mei 1942 het Rommel se Afrika Korps deur ‘n reeks blitsige bewegings wat die greep van die Spilmagte op gekombineerde operasies gedemonstreer het, daarin geslaag om die kritiese hawe van Tobruk, waar die onervare Suid Afrikaanse generaal-majoor H.B. Klopper in bevel was, te isoleer. Sy oorgawe binne ‘n enkele dag word dikwels vergelyk met die vorige beleg van Tobruk toe die Australianers Rommel onder vergelykbare omstandighede vir 244 dae teruggehou het totdat die beleg opgehef is. Klopper se oorgawe het ‘n politieke krisis vir Winston Churchill en Jan Smuts geskep, deurdat dit aansienlike spanning binne sowel die Gealieerde kamp as Suid-Afrika veroorsaak het. Die herevaluering van die gebeure het interessante feite uit die primêre bronne na vore gebring ten opsigte van die toestand van Tobruk se verdedigingstellings, die ongelukkige bevelvoerder, en hoe die Verenigde Koninkryk in samewerking met Suid-Afrika die ware feite wou toesmeer. Die onmiddellike naoorlogse geheuebeeld van die gebeure by Sidi Rezegh en Tobruk is geskep en verwring deur sensitiewe politieke oorwegings wat die verhouding tussen Suid-Afrika en die Verenigde Koninkryk beïnvloed het. Sedertdien het ‘n nasionalistiese Afrikaner-regering en daarna ook die demokraties-verkose, post-apartheid-regering die herinneringe aan Sidi Rezegh en Tobruk tot die vergetelheid verdoem; nie een van die twee het die nut daarvan gesien om dié twee mylpale in die nasionale geheue te verewig nie. Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za i CONTENTS Page Abbreviations iii Maps v Illustrations vi Introduction viii Acknowledgments xviii Chapter I South Africa and the Geo-Political and Operational Environment 1 1.1 South Africa’s Strategic Role in the Empire 3 1.2 The Union Defence Force in the Interwar Period and Its Preparations for War 10 1.3 South Africa’s Political Situation on the Home Front and Her Entry into the War 15 1.4 South Africa Mobilises Its Military Force and War Economy 21 1.5 The East African Campaign 1940: The 1st South African Infantry Division’s First Battle 25 1.6 German Military Doctrine versus British Military Doctrine 28 1.7 The Desert and Mobile Warfare 36 1.6 Conclusion 41 Chapter II The Destruction of the 5th South African Infantry Brigade at Sidi Rezegh - 23 November 1941 43 2.1 Background to Operation Crusader 46 2.2 The Battle Begins: The Launch Of Operation Crusader - 18 and 19 November 1941 59 2.3 Rommel Realizes That Crusader Is Not a Diversion - 20 November 1941 64 2.4 The Approach of the South Africans to Sidi Rezegh, the Attempted Break-Out of Tobruk and the Near Annihilation of 7th Armoured Brigade – 21 November. 69 2.5 The 5th Brigade Attacks and is Repulsed by the Germans Holding Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za ii Point 178 on the Sidi Rezegh Escarpment - 22 November 72 2.6 The Annihilation of 5th Brigade at Sidi Rezegh - 23 November 77 2.7 The Lessons Learned by the South Africans from Operation Crusader 88 2.8 Conclusion 92 Chapter III The Surrender of Tobruk 1942 96 3.1 The Road to Tobruk: The 2nd South African Infantry Division captures Bardia - 2 January 1942 101 3.2 The Race to Launch an Offensive - The Opposing Plans 104 3.3 Rommel Attacks - The Cauldron and Abandonment of the Gazala Line 111 - 26 May – 14 June 1942 3.4 Tobruk Is Not To Be Invested Again! 119 3.5 Introducing Major-General Hendrik Balsazer Klopper 121 3.6 Tobruk Besieged -18 June 1942 125 3.7 The Organisation of The Defence and Counter-attack Force of Tobruk 131 3.8 The Germans Attack Tobruk - 20 June 1942 133 3.9 The Surrender of Tobruk, an Avoidable Blunder or an Inevitable Disaster? 141 3.10 Conclusion 145 Chapter IV Sidi Rezegh and Tobruk: Forgotten Events in South African Memory 147 4.1 The Memory of Sidi Rezegh and Tobruk in the Aftermath of Defeat, the Long War, Politics and the Unpopularity of Military History 148 4.2 The Aftermath of Sidi Rezegh and Tobruk and Their Establishment in South African Memory 154 4.3
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