“The supply situation is at the top of my list,” said Paulus. “That and the trucks to move it. You are correct in what you say concerning Benghazi. Tripoli is the only port we can rely on in the short run, but we are speaking with the Vichy French about Tunis and Bizerte.”
“Tunis? It’s 1400 kilometers from here to there!”
“Yes, but there’s a decent rail line from Tunis south-almost all the way to Mareth. That will cut the distance to a thousand kilometers. It’s farther than that from here to Alexandria. You didn’t seem to think that was a problem when you started east, did you?”
“Believe it or not, Paulus, I have learned a few things about operations in this desert in the last few weeks. It was going to be difficult to extend real force to the Nile even without the appearance of these new reinforcements for the British. Two divisions will simply not be enough. Five might do, but the British would match them in time, and supplying them that far east would be a nightmare. No. What we must do now is fight the British on ground of our own choosing, and beat them-decisively. We can only advance east again if we have that victory in hand, and destroy the British Army here… Before they destroy us!”
“You are beginning to see things clearly now my friend,” said Paulus. “No more joy riding with inadequate force, and even less gasoline. You may have had trouble with Streich, but I’ve read his reports, and he was often correct. Logistics, Rommel, that is the key. I will advocate that we press the Vichy French hard for immediate use of Tunis and Bizerte. It is only 500 kilometers to good ports in eastern Sicily, or to Naples from Tunis, and only three hundred kilometers if we can use Palermo. A supply convoy can make that in one overnight trip, unload by day, and be ready to sail back again the following night. From there we use the rail line to Mareth, and begin extending it east as well. Engineers, Rommel. Trucks, quartermasters and good engineers! That is what we need now as much as another battalion of tanks. Your force will soon see a dramatic buildup in strength and material. And with this scaled up supply strategy, we will sustain these new divisions. It will take time, and the shortage of transport is the main problem, but between the French and OKW, we will get you the trucks you need. My only question now is this-what do we do here? A drive east again is out of the question.”
“For the moment,” said Rommel. “And if these new tanks are delivered to the British in numbers, it will be out of the question entirely.”
“Exactly how large was this new British force?”
Rommel gave him a grim smile. “Large enough,” he said dejectedly. “I saw no more than ten or fifteen of these new tanks, but they had at least two mechanized infantry battalions in support. It could have been no more than a brigade, but it hit like a sledge hammer! They were enough to smash right through that Pakfront and nearly decimate my infantry. I had 2nd and 8th Machine gun battalions in good defensive ground. It was a hasty defense, but the men were in position when the attack came. The British also have an new infantry carrier-fast, and with a decent gun. It sounded like a Bofors. In fact, I thought they were tanks until I saw the infantry deploy. They put accurate suppressive artillery fire on us, moved up like lightning with these new vehicles, and shot the position to pieces. The infantry only deployed to mop up, because by that time our men had had enough, I ordered the retreat soon after, and if the Fuhrer wants me to stop and defend this useless desert in Cyrenaica, he’s a fool. Until we find a way to stop these tanks there will be no more good news from North Africa.”
Paulus nodded. “And no more medals for Herr Rommel. Well, don’t fret about it. This is merely a setback.”
“Don’t put such sweet icing on the cake,” said Rommel. “I can do that with my letters home to Lucie, but we were soundly beaten, and for the first time in this war. If I had left my divisions in place they would have been destroyed. Casualties were heavy, and I will be lucky to have material for one good division between both 5th Light and 15th Panzer. We left the rest in the desert south of Bir el Khamsa. That’s what they’re calling it now-the Battle of Bir el Khamsa. I suppose I will have to live with it, our first major defeat.”
