David Lehmann
06-01-2004, 08:49 PM
In Chad Leclerc had at disposal 5000 Senegalese tirailleurs from the RTST (Régiment de Tirailleurs Sénégalais du Tchad) spread in 20 companies in different garrissons, and also 3 meharist groups (GN = groupe nomade) in 3 areas : Borkou, Tibesti and Ennedi.
In 1931, Graziani took Koufra thanks to 3000 men, armored cars, 1 artillery battery and about 20 planes.
Koufra is now important because :
- it is an oasis
- it controls a road to the Fezzan area
- there is a radio-gonio post to guide the Italian aircrafts to the Buma airfield
In the El Tag fort defending the oasis the Italian colonel Leo had 580 Ascaris and various Italian detachment (engineers, signals etc.) but he had also the Compania Saharina di Cufra (Saharinas armed with MGs and 20mm guns) (Captains Mattioli and Moreschini). The fort itself is defended by Scwharzlose and Fiat 1914/35 MGs as well as 20mm Breda guns.
1) In January 1941 : raid on Mourzouck from Lieutenant-Colonel Colonna d'Ornano in collaboration with LRDG patrols (Major Clayton). French raiders coming from Chad and British raiders coming from Egyptia made their junction on January 6 at Kayougue. On January 11 Mourzouck is reached and attacked. One New-Zealand soldier and the Lieutenant-Colonel Colonna d'Ornano are KIAs.
Several other French meharist raids were organized in order to have a better idea of the Italian order of battle and status.
2) The LRDG under the authority of Leclerc for the later Koufra raid were assigned the task to neutralize the Saharina di Cufra :
22 Chevrolets, 2 Fords and a French detachment from the GN Tibesti (Lieutenant Dubut) with one Brandt 81mm Mle27/31 mortar.
The column is spotted by the Italians and attacked in the Djebel Cherif. After 1 hour of battle the LRDG lost 4 vehicles, several KIAs, MIAs (including Clayton) and several men who escaped in the desert, later rescued by French forces.
All the LRDG except one vehicle + crew (who remained with the French troops) returned to Egyptia.
3) The Koufra raid : Initially the Leclerc column is made up of 101 "white" French troops and 295 Senegalese and Chadian colonial soldiers : 396 men ; but several vehicles and their men were not available for the attack because of mechanical breakdowns.
They had to travel 1650km before reaching the objective.
- HQ : 1 Matford, 2 Chevrolet 1t, 2 Bedford 1.5t and one ER26bis radio
- 1 reduced infantry company (Captain Rennepont) with 23 Bedford 1.5t
- 2 platoons of the GN Ennedi (120 men) (Captain Barboten) with 1 dodge and 16 Matford V8 3t
- 1 platoon of the 7th Company of the RTST (60 men) (Captain Florentin) with 1 dodge and 2 Matford V8 3t
- 1 artillery platoon (Lieutenant Ceccaldi) with two 75mm Mle1928 Schneider mountain guns, 1 dodge, 2 Laffly S15 for the guns, 2 Laffly S15 for the ammunitions and 2 Matford V8 3t .... but only 1 gun reached the battle.
- 1 armored cars "group" (Adjudant Detouche) : 2 Laffly S15TOE (armed only with a 7.5mm MG), 1 Matford V8 3t and 1 ER26bis/39 radio.
Only about 350 men (armed with Lebel 1886/93 rifles, some 8mm Hotchkiss Mle1914 MMGs and FM 24/29 LMGs), 2 light armored cars armed with a single 7.5mm MG and a single 75mm gun reached Koufra to face the Italian garrison waiting for and attack in well prepared position and the Compania Saharina di Cufra. Four Saharinas with their 20mm guns were captured in Koufra and immediately used by the French forces.
The AMD Laffly S15 TOE is not only a recon car, it is an hybrid vehicle armored car and armored personnal carrier which can carry small infantry groups of 4-6 men.
weight : 5t
crew : 3 men
maximum armor : 7mm
maximum speed : 60 km/h
autonomy : 1000 km
armament : a 7.5mm turret MAC1931 MG
On February 17, 1941 at 15.00 PM the French engaged combat with the Saharina company which had no problems destroying the trucks with their 20mm guns but thay were forced to retreat a first time. The French forces encircled the fort and prevented the Compania Saharina di Cufra to enter in El Tag. The Saharina escaped towards Tazerbo.
French in fact had weaker forces to take the fort and the Italians never sent reinforcements to the fort, only a few planes attacked the French troops.
The single French 75mm gun is at first positioned at 3000m of the fort and opens fire (40 shells the first day and then about 20 shells per day). This unique gun is constantly moved to give the feeling that there are many guns. On March 1, 1941 the Italian troops surrendered and were allowed to go away.
Regards,
David
In 1931, Graziani took Koufra thanks to 3000 men, armored cars, 1 artillery battery and about 20 planes.
Koufra is now important because :
- it is an oasis
- it controls a road to the Fezzan area
- there is a radio-gonio post to guide the Italian aircrafts to the Buma airfield
In the El Tag fort defending the oasis the Italian colonel Leo had 580 Ascaris and various Italian detachment (engineers, signals etc.) but he had also the Compania Saharina di Cufra (Saharinas armed with MGs and 20mm guns) (Captains Mattioli and Moreschini). The fort itself is defended by Scwharzlose and Fiat 1914/35 MGs as well as 20mm Breda guns.
1) In January 1941 : raid on Mourzouck from Lieutenant-Colonel Colonna d'Ornano in collaboration with LRDG patrols (Major Clayton). French raiders coming from Chad and British raiders coming from Egyptia made their junction on January 6 at Kayougue. On January 11 Mourzouck is reached and attacked. One New-Zealand soldier and the Lieutenant-Colonel Colonna d'Ornano are KIAs.
Several other French meharist raids were organized in order to have a better idea of the Italian order of battle and status.
2) The LRDG under the authority of Leclerc for the later Koufra raid were assigned the task to neutralize the Saharina di Cufra :
22 Chevrolets, 2 Fords and a French detachment from the GN Tibesti (Lieutenant Dubut) with one Brandt 81mm Mle27/31 mortar.
The column is spotted by the Italians and attacked in the Djebel Cherif. After 1 hour of battle the LRDG lost 4 vehicles, several KIAs, MIAs (including Clayton) and several men who escaped in the desert, later rescued by French forces.
All the LRDG except one vehicle + crew (who remained with the French troops) returned to Egyptia.
3) The Koufra raid : Initially the Leclerc column is made up of 101 "white" French troops and 295 Senegalese and Chadian colonial soldiers : 396 men ; but several vehicles and their men were not available for the attack because of mechanical breakdowns.
They had to travel 1650km before reaching the objective.
- HQ : 1 Matford, 2 Chevrolet 1t, 2 Bedford 1.5t and one ER26bis radio
- 1 reduced infantry company (Captain Rennepont) with 23 Bedford 1.5t
- 2 platoons of the GN Ennedi (120 men) (Captain Barboten) with 1 dodge and 16 Matford V8 3t
- 1 platoon of the 7th Company of the RTST (60 men) (Captain Florentin) with 1 dodge and 2 Matford V8 3t
- 1 artillery platoon (Lieutenant Ceccaldi) with two 75mm Mle1928 Schneider mountain guns, 1 dodge, 2 Laffly S15 for the guns, 2 Laffly S15 for the ammunitions and 2 Matford V8 3t .... but only 1 gun reached the battle.
- 1 armored cars "group" (Adjudant Detouche) : 2 Laffly S15TOE (armed only with a 7.5mm MG), 1 Matford V8 3t and 1 ER26bis/39 radio.
Only about 350 men (armed with Lebel 1886/93 rifles, some 8mm Hotchkiss Mle1914 MMGs and FM 24/29 LMGs), 2 light armored cars armed with a single 7.5mm MG and a single 75mm gun reached Koufra to face the Italian garrison waiting for and attack in well prepared position and the Compania Saharina di Cufra. Four Saharinas with their 20mm guns were captured in Koufra and immediately used by the French forces.
The AMD Laffly S15 TOE is not only a recon car, it is an hybrid vehicle armored car and armored personnal carrier which can carry small infantry groups of 4-6 men.
weight : 5t
crew : 3 men
maximum armor : 7mm
maximum speed : 60 km/h
autonomy : 1000 km
armament : a 7.5mm turret MAC1931 MG
On February 17, 1941 at 15.00 PM the French engaged combat with the Saharina company which had no problems destroying the trucks with their 20mm guns but thay were forced to retreat a first time. The French forces encircled the fort and prevented the Compania Saharina di Cufra to enter in El Tag. The Saharina escaped towards Tazerbo.
French in fact had weaker forces to take the fort and the Italians never sent reinforcements to the fort, only a few planes attacked the French troops.
The single French 75mm gun is at first positioned at 3000m of the fort and opens fire (40 shells the first day and then about 20 shells per day). This unique gun is constantly moved to give the feeling that there are many guns. On March 1, 1941 the Italian troops surrendered and were allowed to go away.
Regards,
David