Operation Sonnenblume

OPERATION SONNENBLUME March – April 1941

OVERVIEW

Operation Sonnenblume (Sunflower) actually refers to the German emergency operation which sent troops to North Africa in February after the Italian 10th Army was destroyed by Allied forces. The original force of a few tanks was quickly upgraded to enough forces to cobble together a make-shift "armored" division designated the 5th Light Division. Rommel took this division along with some supporting Italian troops transferred over from the Fifth Army and began an offensive against the weakened Allied forces (several divisions had been sent to Greece). Additional forces were added as they became available, including the 15th Panzer Division in May and the Italian 'Ariete' Armored Division.

Order of Battle

Commonwealth

9th Australian Division, 20th Australian Brigade2nd Armoured Division (elements)

Axis

5. leichte Division (elements)Divisione Corazzata 132ª 'Ariete' (elements)Divisione Fanteria 27ª 'Brescia' (elements)

9th Australian Division20th Australian BrigadeTable of Organisation

March 1941

Headquarters – 1x commander, 1x light truck2/13 th Australian Infantry Battalion

Headquarters – 1x commander, 1x light truck'A' Company – 1x commander, 9x infantry (1 w/Boys ATR), 1x 2

inch mortar'B' Company – 1x commander, 9x infantry (1 w/Boys ATR), 1x 2

inch mortar'C' Company – 1x commander, 9x infantry (1 w/Boys ATR), 1x 2

inch mortar'D' Company – 1x commander, 9x infantry (1 w/Boys ATR), 1x 2

inch mortar'S' Company – 1x 3 inch mortarCarrier/Scout Platoon – 1x commander, 1x scout/carrier, 4x

infantry/recon, 4x scout/carrier2/15 th Australian Infantry Battalion






infantry/recon, 4x scout/carrier2/17 th Australian Infantry Battalion






infantry/recon, 4x scout/carrier20 th Australian Brigade Anti-Tank Company – 3x 2pdr antitank gun,

3x light truck51 st Field Regiment, RA (attached)

Battery – 1x forward observer, 1x light truck, 6x 18pdr gun, 6x truck

Battery – 1x forward observer, 1x light truck, 6x 18pdr gun, 6x truck

2nd Armoured DivisionTable of Organisation

March 1941

3 rd Armoured Brigade 5 th Royal Tank Regiment

Headquarters – 1x Vickers Mk VIC light tank'A' Squadron – 1x Mk VIC 15mm light tank, 4x Mk VIB MG

light tank'B' Squadron – 1x M13/40 captured tank, 4x M13/40

captured tank'C' Squadron – 1x Mk VIC 15mm light tank, 4x Mk VIB MG

light tank'A' Squadron, 1 st King's Dragoon Guards – 2x Morris CS9

armoured car, 4x Marmon-Herrington Mk II'B' Battery, 16 th Australian Brigade Anti-Tank Company

(attached) – 1x 2pdr antitank gun portee9 th Battalion, 1 st Tower Hamlet Rifles, 2 nd Support Group

Headquarters – 1x commander, 1x light truck'A' Company – 1x commander, 1x 2 inch mortar, 1x light truck,

8x infantry (4 with Boys-ATR), 1x Vickers MMG, 1x 2 inch mortar, 8x light truck

'B' Company – 1x commander, 1x 2 inch mortar, 1x light truck, 8x infantry (4 with Boys-ATR), 1x Vickers MMG, 1x 2 inch mortar, 8x light truck

'C' Company – 1x commander, 1x 2 inch mortar, 1x light truck, 8x infantry (4 with Boys-ATR), 1x Vickers MMG, 1x 2 inch mortar, 8x light truck

'S' Company – 1x 3 inch mortar, 1x universal carrier1 st Scout/Carrier Platoon – 1x commander, 1x scout carrier, 3x

infantry/recon, 3x scout carrier2 nd Scout/Carrier Platoon – 1x commander, 1x scout carrier, 3x

infantry/recon, 3x scout carrier3 rd Scout/Carrier Platoon – 1x commander, 1x scout carrier, 3x

infantry/recon, 3x scout carrier

Battery, 3 rd Royal Horse Artillery (attached) – 3x 2pdr antitank gun portee

1ere Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine (attached)Headquarters – 1x commander, 1x light truckInfantry Company – 1x commander, 9x infantry, 1x Vickers MMG,

6x light truckBattery3 rd Royal Horse Artillery (attached) – 1x 2pdr antitank

gun porteeBattery, 104 th (Essex Yeomanry) Royal Horse Artillery

(attached) – 1x forward observer, 1x Daimler scout car, 4x 25pdr gun

18 th King Edward VII's Own Cavalry, 3 rd Indian Motor Brigade (attached)Headquarters – 1x commander, 1x light truck'A' Squadron – 1x commander, 6x infantry, 3x infantry w/Boys

ATR, 5x light truck'B' Squadron – 1x commander, 6x infantry, 3x infantry w/Boys

ATR, 5x light truck'C' Squadron – 1x commander, 6x infantry, 3x infantry w/Boys

ATR, 5x light truckBattery, 2/3 rd Australian Anti-Tank Regiment (attached) – 1x

2pdr antitank gun porteeBattery, 104 th (Essex Yeomanry) Royal Horse Artillery

(attached) – 1x forward observer, 1x Daimler scout car, 4x 25pdr gun

5. leichte DivisionTable of Organisation

March 1941

I/Panzer-Regiment 5Stab – 1x PzBefWG III command tank, 1x PzKpfw III G medium

tank, 2x PzKpfw II A-C,F light tank, 2x PzKpfw I A-B light tank

1. Kompanie – 1x PzKpfw III H medium tank, 6x PzKpfw III G medium tank, 2x PzKpfw II A-C, F light tank

2. Kompanie – 1x PzKpfw III H medium tank, 6x PzKpfw III G medium tank, 2x PzKpfw II A-C, F light tank

3. Kompanie – 1x PzKpfw IV E medium tank, 3x PzKpfw IV E medium tank, 1x PzKpfw II A-C, F light tank, 1x PzKpfw I A-B light tank

Kompanie, Panzerjaeger-Abteilung 39 (attached) – 1x PzKpfw I A-B light tank, 4x PzJaeg I B 4.7cm SP antitank gun

Zug, Panzer-Aufklarungs-Abteilung 3 (attached) – 1x SdKfz 221 armoured car, 2x SdKfz 222 armoured car, 1x SdKfz 231 armoured car

Heeres-Flakartillerie Abteilung 609 (attached) – 1x SdKfz 10/4 SP antiaircraft gun

Panzer-Aufkarungs-Abteilung 3Stab – 1x SdKfz 221 armoured carPanzer-Spah-Kompanie – 1x SdKfz 221 armoured car, 6x SdKfz 222

armoured car, 2x SdKfz 231 armoured carKradschutzen-Kompanie – 1x commander, 3x infantry, 6x light

machine gun, 1x heavy machine gun, 1x 5cm light mortar, 12x motorcycle

Zug, Panzerjaeger-Abteilung 39 (attached) – 1x 3.7cm Pak 35/36 antitank gun, 1x light truck

Batterie, Artillerie-Regiment 75 (attached) – 1x 7.5cm infantry gun, 1x light truck

Maschinengewehr-Bataillon 2Stab – 1x commander, 1x Horsch field car

1. Kompanie – 1x commander, 1x 5cm mortar, 1x light truck, 1x infantry w/PzB 39, 5x heavy machine gun, 6x light truck



Pionier-Kompanie – 1x commander, 9x pioniere, 2x SdKfz 251/1 halftrack, 3x light truck

Pionier-Kompanie – 1x commander, 9x pioniere, 2x SdKfz 251/1 halftrack, 3x light truck

Panzerjaeger Kompanie – 3x 3.7cm Pak 35/36 antitank gun, 3x light truck

schwere Kompanie – 3x 8cm mortar, 2x light truckKompanie, Panzerjaeger-Abteilung 39 (attached) – 1x commander,

1x Horsch field car, 1x 5cm Pak 38 antitank gun, 3x 3.7cm Pak 35/36 antitank gun, 4x light truck

Batterie, Artillerie-Regiment 75 (attached) – 1x forward observer, 1x Horsch field car, 2x 10.5cm light field howitzer

schwere Flak-Abteilung 163 – 1x 8.8cm Flak 36 antiaircraft gun, 1x SdKfz 7 heavy prime mover

Divisione Corazzata 132ª 'Ariete'Table of Organisation

March 1941

Reggimento Carri 132ºBattaglione Carri I(L)

Commando – 1x commander, 1x Fiat 508 CM, 1x L3/35 tankette, 2x L3/35lf flamethrower tank

Compagnia Carri – 1x L3/35 tankette, 4x L3/35 tankette, 2x L3/35lf flamethrower tank



Batteria, Compagnia Controcarri di Divisione – 1x 37mm antitank gun, 1x TL 37 light prime mover

Battaglione Carri II(L)Commando – 1x commander, 1x Fiat 508 CM, 1x L3/35

tankette, 2x L3/35lf flamethrower tankCompagnia Carri – 1x L3/35 tankette, 4x L3/35 tankette,

2x L3/35lf flamethrower tankCompagnia Carri – 1x L3/35 tankette, 4x L3/35 tankette,

2x L3/35lf flamethrower tankCompagnia Carri – 1x L3/35 tankette, 4x L3/35 tankette,

2x L3/35lf flamethrower tankBatteria, Compagnia Controcarri di Divisione – 1x 37mm

antitank gun, 1x TL 37 light prime moverBattaglione Carri III(L)

Commando – 1x commander, 1x Fiat 508 CM, 1x L3/35 tankette, 2x L3/35lf flamethrower tank



Compagnia Carri – 1x L3/35 tankette, 4x L3/35 tankette,

2x L3/35lf flamethrower tankBatteria, Compagnia Controcarri di Divisione – 1x 37mm

antitank gun, 1x TL 37 light prime moverBattaglione Carri VII(M)

Commando – 1x commander, 1x Fiat 508 CM, 1x M13/40 medium tank flamethrower tank

Compagnia Carri – 1x M13/40 medium tank, 4x M13/40 medium tank



Batteria, Compagnia Controcarri di Divisione – 1x 37mm antitank gun, 1x TL 37 light prime mover

Reggimento Bersaglieri 8ºCommando – 1x commander, 1x Fiat 508 CMBattaglione Bersaglieri Motociclisti 3º

Commando – 1x commander, 1x Fiat 508 CMCompagnia Motociclisti – 1x commander, 1x 20mm Solothurn

antitank rifle, 6x Bersaglieri, 8x motorcycle, 1x Breda machine gun, 1x AS 37 light truck, 1x 37mm antitank gun, 1x TL 37 prime mover

Compagnia Motociclisti – 1x commander, 1x 20mm Solothurn antitank rifle, 6x Bersaglieri, 8x motorcycle, 1x Breda machine gun, 1x AS 37 light truck, 1x 37mm antitank gun, 1x TL 37 prime mover

Compagnia Motociclisti – 1x commander, 1x 20mm Solothurn antitank rifle, 6x Bersaglieri, 8x motorcycle, 1x Breda machine gun, 1x AS 37 light truck, 1x 37mm antitank gun, 1x TL 37 prime mover

Plotone Ricognizione – 1x commander, 1x motorcycle, 3x bersaglieri, 3x motorcycle

Battaglione Bersaglieri Motorizzato 5ºCommando – 1x commander, 1x Fiat 508 CMCompagnia Motorizzata – 1x commander, 1x 20mm Solothurn

antitank rifle, 8x Bersaglieri, 5x AS 37 light

truck, 1x Breda machine gun, 1x AS 37 light truck, 1x 37mm antitank gun, 1x TL 37 prime mover

Compagnia Motorizzata – 1x commander, 1x 20mm Solothurn antitank rifle, 8x Bersaglieri, 5x AS 37 light truck, 1x Breda machine gun, 1x AS 37 light truck, 1x 37mm antitank gun, 1x TL 37 prime mover


Battaglione Bersaglieri Motorizzato 12ºCommando – 1x commander, 1x Fiat 508 CMCompagnia Motorizzata – 1x commander, 1x 20mm Solothurn

antitank rifle, 8x Bersaglieri, 5x AS 37 light truck, 1x Breda machine gun, 1x AS 37 light truck, 1x 37mm antitank gun, 1x TL 37 prime mover

Compagnia Motorizzata – 1x commander, 1x 20mm Solothurn antitank rifle, 8x Bersaglieri, 5x AS 37 light truck, 1x Breda machine gun, 1x AS 37 light truck, 1x 37mm antitank gun, 1x TL 37 prime mover


Divisione Fanteria 27ª 'Brescia'Table of Organisation

March 1941

I/19º Reggimento FanteriaCommando – 1x commander, 1x Fiat 508 CMPlotone Ricognizione – 1x commander, 1x rifle infantry, 3x

Breda light machine gunCompagnia Accompagnamento – 3x 81mm mortarCompagnia Assalto – 1x commander, 6x rifle infantry, 3x Breda

light machine gun, 1x Breda medium machine gun, 1x 65mm infantry gun, 1x AS 37 light truck

Compagnia Assalto – 1x commander, 6x rifle infantry, 3x Breda light machine gun, 1x Breda medium machine gun, 1x 65mm infantry gun, 1x AS 37 light truck

Compagnia Riserva – 1x commander, 6x rifle infantry, 3x Breda light machine gun, 1x Breda medium machine gun, 2x 47mm antitank gun, 2x AS 37 light truck

Compagnia Controaerea (attached) – 2x 20mm antiaircraft gunGruppo II, Reggimento Articelere 1º (attached)

Batteria – 1x forward observer, 1x Fiat 508 CM, 2x 75/27 light gun

Batteria – 1x forward observer, 1x Fiat 508 CM, 2x 75/27 light gun

Batteria – 1x forward observer, 1x Fiat 508 CM, 2x 100/17 medium howitzer

Gruppo XV, Raggruppamento Artiglieria del Corpo d'Armata XVI (attached)



Operation Sonnenblume

Documents

Transcript of Operation Sonnenblume