Laugier, Didier La 21 Panzer-Division

De la Lybie à la Tunisie

Originally designated as the 5th Light Division (mot.), it was sent to Libya in early February 1941 to support Italian troops who were in dire straits against the British Empire. Thanks to its efforts, the advance of British troops was halted. It was subsequently expanded into the 21st Armoured Division. It was involved in all the battles in Africa: El Agheila, Tobruk, Marsa Matruh, El Alamein, Matmata. When it was threatened with destruction, it was saved by the slow advance of the British. It regained its strength and continued to fight. However, in view of the superior strength of the Allied forces, its African adventure ended with the surrender of the Italian-German troops in Tunisia in May 1943. This work is based almost exclusively on one main source: the German archives. All remaining structures (post numbers) are included, as are further copies of original documents. Numerous maps based on the original maps and photos some of which have never been published before support the text. Tables provide an overview of personnel strength. On the Allied side, the war diaries or after reports were also consulted, in particular those of the New Zealanders and Australians, who were numerous in Africa against the Italian-German troops. Beyond the fighting, the uniforms, life behind the front lines, logistics and living conditions are also addressed, which very few authors report on. However, all these elements have a significant impact on the morale, health and combat readiness of the soldiers. They also have a significant impact on the fighting, especially logistics, which profoundly influenced the course of this campaign.