Allied forces not surprised by Rommel March/April 1941

[PMN1]

Rommel surprised the Allied forces with his March/April 1941 attack but what if there had been a suspicion that he would not follow orders and stay put and the Allied forces were ready, what would have been the result?

 

[BlairWitch749]

So the allies ignore ultra? Even still the forces at the front were largely green and commanded by tactical idiots at all levels below oconner himself

 

[PMN1]

No, not ignore Ultra but working on the principal the Germans can't keep thinking their communications are safe, hedge their bets and factor in the possibility of a deliberate false order.

Given how much of each others communications each side was reading it amazes me that each thought their own communications were safe for as long as they did.

 

[cimon]

Actually surprise caused by the German plan was not the cause of the success;objective factors like the British greenhorns were a minor factor,the major one being the very surprise tactics of Rommel using a mechanised column in a south semi-circular move through Tmimi(after 25 years still memory helps!) completely through the desert,directed west and then north
to the complete surprise of the British that caused their defeat and the containment of the germans before before Benghasi untenable...simple and...absolutely brilliant!