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RE: [SotM] 2012 August - Prepare for Battle!
A bit late, but we finished at last as it went 33 or 34 turns !
On high ground on the right flank of an area known as Alem Hamza and in the path of an Indian division’s advance were the positions of the Italian 101st Trieste Motorised Division. Here they had dug-in in an intricate array of close and connected fox-holes and other dug-outs. This would have to be cleared if the advance was to continue. The Italian positions were sighted by the Commonwealth troops around 0800 hours and therefore, they still had a march of some four hours ahead of them if they were to engage this enemy. The Italians had also spotted their enemy too and before long OBA FO’s were sent ahead to harry the Allied advance. The Italian bombardments proved completely ineffective and by 1100 hours (turn 13) the attack lines were being deployed along the higher reaches of Alem Hamza.
It could be seen by the allies that the Trieste Division positions, although dense and connected was set-up in a very thin stretch of the high ground. This was so any Commonwealth attack would have to be launched on a very small frontage and have to try and grind its way through four lines of dug-outs, or, if the allies wanted to bring more of their firepower to bare and attack from the flank, this would then give the Italians the advantage of the slopes. In the event, the allies set themselves to attack on the small front and would try to pile-drive through the dug-outs.
About 1130 hours (turn15) fire began to be exchanged in earnest and British tanks were immediately hit by Italian 47mm AT guns (1step). Indian ACW’s and infantry also suffered losses (1 & 2 steps respectively). Unperturbed by this fire, the Indians pushed on as their courageous leaders encouraged them forward. For the next half hour, the Punjabis and Rajputanas crawled and clambered through the rocky heights, taking whatever of the little cover might be available. With minor damage inflicted, the Indians, by 1230 hours (turn 19) had pushed to the Italian perimeter. Italian losses at this stage were negligible. At 1245 hours a rousing ‘Hurrah’ went up along the Indian lines and a direct attack was made on the Italian front line. British OBA had completely demoralized a couple of Italian MG units in this line, and as the Indians surged forward, these Italian machine-gunners ran to the rear ! However, the artillery could not account for the whole line and most Italians held their nerve to unleash some heavy fire on their assailants. One Indian platoon was rendered completely combat ineffective from the Italian fire as was an Indian MG platoon too. Yet another platoon suffered heavily as well (5 steps in the charge) but by 1315 hours (turn 22) the Indians were just short of the Italian positions. Within 15 minutes the Punjabis and Rajputanas were amongst the Italian dug-outs and now benefitting from local superiority. The melee proved furious and over the next 75 minutes most of the Italian front line had been cleared with heavy casualties (8 steps) and only its front corner position holding out. The Indians had suffered too, losing yet more infantrymen (4 steps). These mainly came from vicious counter-attacks when an Italian position was taken, other Italian infantry dished out close range fire from the next row of dug-outs that lashed into the freshly victorious Indians. British Valentine tanks too had pushed in amongst Italian ordnance and managed to clear two positions (2 steps) as they cleaved a way through.
It was now 1500 hours and the whole of the hilltop near Alem Hamza was awash with battle, blood and death. The fighting had degenerated into close-quarter melee and point blank fire. The Indian attack, despite its success in the first line was looking quite blunted at this stage, with perhaps one company in particular still in good shape. Allied troops cohesion had been disrupted and many others were simply demoralized. The Allies looked as if they needed to take a breather and regroup some, but the hill was needed to be taken by 1700 hours and time was running out. So. With scant regard to the remaining strength of the troops, the Allied command demanded his troops continue to press. The results were mixed with some Italian dug-out positions being overcome, but elsewhere, small Italian units were holding out. Like a mythical Hydra, the many heads of the Allied thrust were finally cut back and the momentum lost. By 1615 hours, although more Italian units had eventually been removed than allies, there was simply no strength or time for the remaining Indian forces to muster for the final push. At least 14 Italian units still remained on the hilltop with some others close by. The Indians probably only had around 6 good order units remaining if that. The rest were all disrupted or demoralized or were simply too far away after previous fleeing. Also, just one of their officers, an Indian Subedar Major was the only leader that was in good order.
The battle had been very close. Both sides could claim to have missed chances through fate not to have inflicted more damage, but the Italians were left with the victory. Casualties in steps were - ITALIAN: 11 INF, 5 HMG, 2 OFF, 5 GUN :::::: INDIAN: 10 INF, 3 HMG, 1 OFF, 1 AFV, 1 APC, 1 GUN
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