Discussion about WW2/North African campaign

[[R-CON]Tim270]

Originally Posted by Hellbrawler

He didn't want anything in Africa?? I thought he wanted the Suez Canal a MAJOR economic target.

North Africa is the 'back door' to Europe, Thus the allies used it as a launching point into Italy.

[anglomanii]

Originally Posted by unrealalex

I know about the depression to the south but they had the meditaranean to the north, and Brits had air superiority, so why didnt they just go by sea? I guess lack of resources, there could be no other reason.

incorrect..
RAF did not have air superiority until later in the war (after 1941) it was one of the reasons Tobruk was such a hell hole and why it could only be supplied by night. allied shipping was not safe under 300kms from the North African coast. axis ship was also at risk though mostly from a very active submersible fleet.

i suggest you read the book by Peter Fitzsimons called TOBRUK

the north African campaign was very complicated and to involved to go into in any length here. but i should point out some Italian troops where very good, but on the whole it was a war they did not want. this was not the case with AIF troops which ended up having such a fearsome reputation that on occasion enemy troops would refuse to attack them.

the one flaw the 88 had in North africa was its lack of plunging fire, which proved so valuable with the QF 25pdrs of the commonwealth troops. other wise it was perfect for desert warfare. i was told by my GF that the Germans would bore sight the 88's when facing armour

my grandfather was there with 13 line sec Sigs 1 Aust corps 2nd AIF and later ended up in S.e.Asia. giving the japs a kicking as he put it.
and i had a great uncle with 2/9 inf bt 2 AIF KIA 1942 North Africa
and another grand father in the VDC was in Darwin...
they are all gone now, and hopefully at peace. for what they have seen may we spare our sons.

[Epim3theus]

The book Solo from Roald Dahl, a british writer (Charlies Chocolate factory, or something like that) is nice to read aswell.
I tells about his war experiences, first in eastern Africa at the start of the war, when he commands an unit of Askaris, internating Germans there. Then he goes to train with the RAF, first Tigermoth and so on.
First he comes in action over North Africa against Italians, but he crashes when he runs out of fuel while trying to find his unit. Later he flies Hurricane over Greece against an overwhelming Luftwaffe, manages to survive and fly over North Africa again. Then he has to resign from the Raf because of the inguries he sustained when he crashed.