Operation Sonnenblume

Afrika Korps

Operation Sonnenblume and Kampfgruppe Mildebrath

By Richard Carlisle

I’ve always had a fascination with the war in the desert. I was captured years ago by the image of my favorite tank speeding through the desert loaded with kit. More recently I stumbled on some research of a neglected period of this war that inspired me to start collecting the entire force (well, part of it at least) for my next Flames Of War army.

At the beginning of 1942 the Deutsches Afrika-Korps fresh with new supplies were on the attack. Sweeping down on the British through the inhospitable desert regions the leading elements of the 21st Panzer Regiment encountered their first enemy.

The 23rd of January was to see a day of ferocious unforgiving combat that turned the tide of fortune in the desert, at least for the moment.

The Theatre

With desert on one flank, coast on the other, and open limestone escarpments in-between. This was one of the harshest theaters of combat in World War II.

The red arrows show the movement of the 21st Panzer division as they successfully push on after Sonnenblume.

The Theatre
General Auchinleck

Prelude to Battle

On the 5th January 1942 the beleaguered Deutsches Afrika-Korps (DAK) had been forced to withdraw to El Agheila. Their only advantage against the advancing British was the now shorter supply lines, enabling them to receive much needed supplies that had recently landed in Tripoli. Taking advantage of these fresh supplies a new offensive was launched against the now over stretched British.

Opponents

The DAK’s enemy at this point was the allied forces commanded by General Sir Claude Auchinleck. Enjoying a period of superiority over the DAK with Major General Neil Ritchie running the 8th army’s advance across Cyrenaica. The lead elements of the 21st (Kampfgruppe Mildebrath) were to meet the 2nd Armoured Brigade on the 23rd near the hamlet of Saunnu.

OOB Kampfgruppe Mildebrath

23 January 1942

Pz-Reg 5
Consisting of:
5 Pz.KpfwII, 11 Pz.KpfwIII, 3 Pz.KpfwIV divided into 2 companies
Commanded by Oberleutnant Sandrock and Oberleutnant Rocholl

8th Machinegun Battalion
Consisting of:
3 kompanie’s of motorised Panzergrenadiers

3 kompanies of self-propelled Panzerjägers

155th Artillery Regiment
305th AA detachment
8.8cm FlaK36 heavy anti-aircraft gun
First British attack falls against stiff defense

Key moments

After the initial engagements at dawn, Panzerjägers of the 8th MG Bat. aggressively manoeuvred into forward positions.

At this moment British tanks were closing on the Panzers of Oberlt. Sandrock, trying to tempt him to engage in a tank battle.

Sandrock however, held his ground forcing the British into the devastating fire of the Panzerjägers. The surviving tanks made their escape to the south.

The second attack was an attempt to break through the German line by a wave of nearly 40 tanks. This partially succeeded in splitting the 8th MG Bat. and the 5th Pz.Reg. until the timely return of the 88’s who had reloaded and found better positions. After heavy losses the British retreated to try another tactic.

Later, seeing that the British intended a flanking manoeuver, the left flank units were ordered to swing back whilst the PzJägers dropped back to the rear of the Kampfgruppe.

This stopped the thrust on the left flank whilst the support artillery pinned down the British attempting to come around the right. 

Leaving their defensive positions, the units of Kampfgruppe Mildebrath swung on to the attack of Saunnu. Bitter fighting ensued but the British defense could not hold. Finally the British retreated in disarray towards Tobruck, leaving behind men, supplies, and equipment that would be greatly missed in the coming battles.

Aftermath

On the 23rd of January 1942 Kampfgruppe Mildebrath in total had faced the far superior strength of over 80 British tanks, repulsing the attacks with bold maneuvering and counter attack. The day ended with the Germans capturing the strategic hamlet of Saunnu along with officers, men and equipment of the 2nd Armoured Brigade.

Modelling Kampfgruppe Mildebrath... 

Panzer III G

Richard’s Flames Of War Force

On the 23rd of January 1942 Kampfgruppe Mildebrath in total had faced the far superior strength of over 80 British tanks, repulsing the attacks with bold manoeuvring and counter attack.

The day ended with the Germans capturing the strategic hamlet of Saunnu along with officers, men and equipment of the 2nd armoured Brigade.

A Kampfgruppe on the move in Africa

A Panzer III parked up for the night

I decided to go ahead with an army for FoW built around the elements involved in Kampfgruppe Mildebrath not only as an historical unit, but also as it seems quit a compact and versatile army.

The Order of Battle for the Kampfgruppe equates to the following in Flames Of War:

8th MG Battalion
(Africa Rifle Company) (Afrika Korps, page 27)

Africa Rifle Company HQ (MG112)
2x MP40 SMG team

2 points
Combat Platoons   
1st Africa Rifle Platoon (MG113)
4x MG34 team
1x 2.8cm anti-tank rifle
1x sMG34 HMG


7 points
1 point
2nd Africa Rifle Platoon (MG113)
4x MG34 team
1x 2.8cm anti-tank rifle
1x sMG34 HMG


7 points
1 point
3rd Africa Rifle Platoon (MG113)
4x MG34 team
1x 2.8cm anti-tank rifle
1x sMG34 HMG


7 points
1 point
Support Platoons  
6th Company
5cm Tank-hunter Platoon (MG114)
3x 5cm gun


12 points
Panzer Regiment 5 (Sandrock)
Panzer III Tank Platoon (MG104)
5x Panzer III (short 5cm)


25 points
305th AA Detachment
8.8cm Heavy AA Platoon (MG122)
2x 8.8cm AA guns


12 points
Total
75 points

To add some flavour to this force I’d like to try a special rule for my commander Oberleutnant Sandrock. It was his dogged determination in the face of superior numbers of tanks that turned the first British attacks.

To represent this in Flames Of War Oberleutnant Sandrock and his crew has a Counterattack rating of 3+. 

Richard


Last Updated On Tuesday, January 11, 2022 by Wayne at Battlefront