Operation Skorpion

Operation Skorpion Part of Western Desert Campaign This map charts Rommel's first offensive and the British counterattacks, 24 March – 17 June 1941 Date 26–27 May 1941 Location Halfaya Pass, Egypt Result Axis Victory Belligerents  United Kingdom Germany Commanders William Gott Maximilian von Herff Strength Elements of : British XIII Corps 1 Infantry Battalion and supporting arms Elements of: Afrika Korps Casualties and losses British and Commonwealth: 173 casualties[1]

v • d • e Western Desert Campaign Invasion of Egypt – Compass – Bardia – Kufra – Sonnenblume – Tobruk – Brevity – Skorpion – Battleaxe – Flipper – Crusader – Gazala – Bir Hakeim – 1st Alamein – Alam Halfa – Agreement – 2nd Alamein – El Agheila

After a small lull in the fighting following Operation Brevity the Germans deployed three assault groups up in front of Halfaya Pass during the evening of 26 May and attacked the next morning.^[2] The Coldstream Guards and supporting units fought well but could not stop the Germans from securing a commanding position, leaving the British in danger of being surrounded and cut off. During the morning Brigadier Gott authorized a withdrawal and Lt. Colonel Moubray extricated his force with great skill, but at the cost of 173 casualties (100 casualties alone within the 3rd Coldstream Guards^[3]), 4 field guns, 8 anti tank guns, and 5 Infantry tanks.^[1] This meant that the Afrika Korps had now retaken all ground lost to the British during Operation Brevity.

See also

World War II portal

• North African Campaign timeline
• List of World War II Battles

References

• Howard, Michael; Sparrow, John (1951). The Coldstream Guards, 1920-1946. Oxford University Press. 
• Jentz, Thomas L. (1998). Tank Combat In North Africa: The Opening Rounds, Operations Sonnenblume, Brevity, Skorpion and Battleaxe, February 1941 - June 1941. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-76430-226-4. 
• Playfair, Major-General I.S.O.; with Flynn R.N., Captain F.C.; Molony, Brigadier C.J.C. & Toomer, Air Vice-Marshal S.E. (2004) [1st. pub. HMSO 1956]. Butler, J.R.M. ed. The Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume II The Germans come to the help of their Ally (1941). History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. Naval & Military Press. ISBN 1-84574-066-1. 
• Rommel, Erwin; Liddell-Hart, Basil (editor) (1982). The Rommel Papers. Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-30680-157-4. 

External links

• Bradford, George R. ""BREVITY" and its Impact on the DAK". http://www.geocities.com/firefly1002000/brevity.html. 
• Paterson, Ian A. "History of the British 7th Armoured Division: Operation Brevity". http://www.btinternet.com/~ian.a.paterson/battles1941.htm#Brevity. 

Footnotes