rommel s attack: frontal attack on gazala , bypass towards bir hakeim, while british army retreats cover tobruk.
on night of 26 may 1942, rommel started planned attack 15th , 21st panzer divisions, , rest of 90th motorized infantry division, , italian trieste , ariete divisions started large encircling move south of bir-hakeim planned. british armoured units taken surprise , retreated.
italian m13/40 tank
rommel sent ariete armoured division - attack bir hakeim southeast. division - formed of 132nd armoured regiment, equipped m13/40s, of 8th reggimento bersaglieri , of 132nd artillery regiment - attacked french position rear in 2 successive waves. italian tanks , armored vehicles attacked without infantry support , tried cross minefield. 6 tanks managed infiltrate french lines, avoiding mines , anti-tank fire, destroyed close range 75 mm fire, , crews captured.
the ariete division, reduced 33 tanks in 45 minutes, had retreat. remaining tanks tried outflank french forces attacking through v zone minefield protecting face. regrouped , retreated, leaving behind 32 destroyed tanks. north of bir hakeim, 3rd indian motor brigade had been annihilated, , 2 weakened british brigades - 4th , motorized 7th armoured - forced retreat bir-el-gubi , el-adem, leaving bir-hakeim , free french forces fight full brunt of rommels forces.
erwin rommel , fritz bayerlein near bir hakeim
rommel s success in north costly, , rommel s wide flanking plan proving riskier because of resistance @ bir hakeim (his right flank , supply route threatened position). afrika korps had take bir hakeim.so rommel sent trieste division, 90th light infantry division, , 3 recon armored regiments pavia division against bir hakeim.
the advance of 21st panzer division
the german infantry launched full attack, supported 15th panzerdivision, heavy barrages artillery. breach made , on 9 june, evacuation order reached french camp. , free french forces fought way british lines,
free french forces evacuating bir hakeim
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