British SAS Just Back From a Three Month Patrol

Image size: 1600 x 1426 pixel. 493 KB
Date: Monday, 18 January 1943
Place: North Africa
Photographer: Captain Keating from No.1 Army Film & Photography Unit

A close-up of a heavily-armed patrol of 'L' Detachment SAS in their jeeps with their twin-mounted Vickers K machine guns, just back from a three month patrol, 18 January 1943. Lieutenant Edward MacDonald sits in the wheel (foreground) with Corporal Bill Kennedy, while the driver in the second jeep is Private Malcolm Mackinnon. The crews of the jeeps are all wearing 'Arab-style' headdress (kafiyeh), as copied from the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG). The officer at the wheel of the nearest jeep has a Sykes-Fairbairn commando knife on his left hip, and insignia on his shoulder and left breast, including the operational 'SAS' wings. The jeeps all have modified radiator/condenser systems rigged, and many jerrycans of water and petrol mounted on the bonnet, sides, and in the rear of the body. The patrol leader's jeep mounts twin Vickers K .303 guns; the central jeep, twin and single Vickers guns at front and rear; and the furthest one, a .50cal. Browning - apparently an aircraft weapon - at the front and twin Vickers at the rear. Note: They are using the American-built Willys Jeeps, instead of the far less-reliable British Land Rover! The famed Special Air Service (SAS) of the British Army was formed in July 1941 by David Stirling. It was a commando force designed to operate deep behind enemy lines,something it did very successfully. Specially adapted vehicles were used in North Africa, including the famous 4×4 1/4-ton Truck, though heavily modified for its behind-the-lines role. The vehicle began appearing in July 1942. They were generally stripped down to save weight and, for operations in the hot climate,the grill was removed and a water condenser fitted. Weapons such as Lewis and Vickers K machine guns were mounted for use against ground or aerial targets.

Source:

Photograph E 21337 from the collections of the Imperial War Museums (collection no. 4700-32)

http://www.afv-news.com/2013/05/sas-14-ton-4x4-patrol-car/

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205196152

Rommel With 15. Panzer-Division Between Tobruk and Sidi Omar

Image size: 1600 x 1146 pixel. 300 KB
Date: Monday, 24 November 1941
Place: Between Tobruk and Sidi Omar, Libya
Photographer: Kriegsberichter Ernst A. Zwilling (KB-Kp. Lw. 7) (KB-Zug Lw. 18)

General der Panzertruppe Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel (Kommandierender General Panzergruppe "Afrika") with the 15. Panzer-Division between Tobruk and Sidi Omar. Libya, November 24,1941. A tired and dispirited "Desert Fox" stands in the front of his Horch staff car during the great retreat after his momentarily defeat by the British in the Crusader offensive. The vehicle in th background is an SdKfz 260 armoured radio vehicle from the HQ signals unit. After Operation Battleaxe failed to relieve the siege of Tobruk in June 1941, British General Archibald Wavell was replaced as Commander-in-Chief Middle East by General Claude Auchinleck. Lieutenant General Cunningham, fresh from victory in East Africa, was given command of the new 8th Army, comprising 13th Corps, supplemented by a New Zealand division, and 30th Corps, incorporating South African troops. The Australian division garrisoning Tobruk was replaced by 70th Division, incorporating Polish troops. Rommel now headed the expanded Panzergruppe Afrika, incorporating the Deutsches Afrika Korps; he also had operational control over three Italian divisions. On 18 November, 30th Corps advanced through the southern desert, aiming to engage and destroy enemy tanks before turning north west to rendezvous with a breakout at Tobruk. By 21 November, both 30th Corps and 70th Division were pinned down by the artillery of Rommel's 90th Light Division. The situation was saved by the advance of 13th Corps, which began engaging enemy positions along the coast on 22 November; by 26 November 13th Corps' New Zealand Division had cleared a corridor between Tobruk and 30th Corps. Auchinleck now replaced Cunningham with Ritchie. The Deutsches Afrika Korps withdrew on 6 December, creating a new front line at Gazala, west of Tobruk. In December further skirmishes in western Cyrenaica, with heavy British losses, were followed by German withdrawal to Tripolitania. However, this apparently favourable British position was undermined by inadequate forward defences and an unrealistic assessment of Rommel's intentions. A massive and apparently unexpected counter attack in January destroyed British positions in the south and west, bringing Rommel back to Gazala. The gains of Operation Crusader had proved to be painfully limited.

Source:

NARA (National Archives) Identifier 540148 / Local Identifier 242-EAPC-6(M713a)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/timeline/factfiles/nonflash/a1124993.shtml

Panzerkampfwagen III in Libya

Image size: 1600 x 1217 pixel. 455 KB
Date: Saturday, 1 March 1941
Place: Libya
Photographer: Unknown

Panzerkampfwagen III ausf H stops to check Allied positions or make a navigation reference. In October of 1940, the Panzer III ausf H entered production, with the battle experience in France and North Africa influencing the design. 308 were produced by MAN, Alkett, Henschel, Wegmann, MNH and MIAG until April of 1941. Ausf H featured a newly designed turret to mount a 50mm gun with a single 30mm armored rear plate. Additional armor plates were added to defeat the Soviet 45mm, American 37mm and British 2-pounder (40mm) anti-tank guns. The Panzer III formed the bulk of German armor during the Western Desert Campaign (June 10, 1940 - July 27, 1942). Most were ausf G, but the ausf H with a more powerful 50mm gun and mechanical reliability was better suited to desert fighting. Date estimated. 

Source:

http://www.worldwar2database.com/gallery3/index.php/wwii126