Rommel withdraws to Halfaya Pass after 1st Alamein

  • Thread starter Deleted member 1487
  • Start date
It is one thing to do it with an army shattered to pieces, with enemy landing in its rear threatening to cut off the only supply line and quite another with an army still capable of giving fight. Besides, Rommel also believed he would be able to continue his advance eventually.

Seconded. If Rommel had asked to retreat after First Alamein, he would have been instructed not to, as most of his forces were still in place. Although it does open up an intriguing thought. If, by some miracle of good sense and realism (unlikely as that was) Rommel had been allowed to retreat to the Fuka position, what would that have done to Churchill's plan to replace the Auk with Alexander and Gott? Would the Auk have been forced to follow and fight with the dreaded Dorman-Smith advising him?
 
I think the big question what POD convinces Rommel that he needs to retreat? Rommel was an offensive minded guy and he thought that victory was still in his grasp. What happens that changes his mind?
 
I think the big question what POD convinces Rommel that he needs to retreat? Rommel was an offensive minded guy and he thought that victory was still in his grasp. What happens that changes his mind?

What if the British make a move through the Qatarra Depression? If they manage to get a few divisions across it, or make Rommel think they are, he might get spooked into abandoning the Alamein position and pull back to Fuka. I'm not sure if that's possible due to the terrain however.
 

Deleted member 1487

I think the big question what POD convinces Rommel that he needs to retreat? Rommel was an offensive minded guy and he thought that victory was still in his grasp. What happens that changes his mind?
How about the failure at Alam in August prompts the withdrawal as Rommel realizes he cannot breakthrough and stop the build up and waiting for the British to attack would be a mess.
 
The Qatarra Depression is basically a no-go area for large formations, or it was at the time. Oh both the Germans and Brits prospected it, but I'm given to understand it it's a far from ideal highway.
 
How about the failure at Alam in August prompts the withdrawal as Rommel realizes he cannot breakthrough and stop the build up and waiting for the British to attack would be a mess.

Same problem - Hitler and Benny the Moose complain a great deal. Hell, Hitler wanted to know why on earth Rommel failed at Alam Halfa.
 
What if the British make a move through the Qatarra Depression? If they manage to get a few divisions across it, or make Rommel think they are, he might get spooked into abandoning the Alamein position and pull back to Fuka. I'm not sure if that's possible due to the terrain however.

I thought that was pretty impassable, at least by large units. Of course maybe he thinks they are going to try and cross it because some of those long range patrol SAS guys get detected going through there.

I was thinking something more conventional - he takes heavier casualties at 1st Alamein, the supply convoys crossing the Med. get hit harder.

Try a little FORTITUDE type deception. In addition to the large British build up, convince him with false radio traffic and dummy tanks and stuff that American formations are deploying to Egypt as well (OTL they did consider sending one or two armored divisions under Patton to Egypt but elected to send the four USAAF fighter and bomber groups instead).
 

Deleted member 1487

I think it would depend on how much influence Rommel has over the events. Maybe without the defeat at 2nd Alamein he has more clout.If Rommel was unquestionably put in charge of all operations in North Africa I think they could do alot better.

For instance Kasserine Pass could have been more decisive:


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kasserine_Pass

Also i've read that Rommel had a completely different plan for Operation Capri that involved a pincer attack. The Italians however having seniority blew him off and attempted their own useless plan.

What if he does get the authority to do this? Assuming he pulls it off, what would it mean for further operations in Tunisia for the US?
 

Deleted member 1487

The same thing that moving the deck chair from the Titanic's left side to the right side did for the iceberg.
I didn't say it would change the eventual outcome of the campaign, but the course of it could change a fair bit.
 
I didn't say it would change the eventual outcome of the campaign, but the course of it could change a fair bit.

Allied air force deployment would be pushed back if they can't use the airbases at Tebessa. Thus Axis will have superior numbers in the skies over Tunis for the time being. This could really hammer allied operations and slow things down.

I think this attack on Tebessa does have potential. In Rommel Papers it mentions the Americans were burning their supply depots at Tebessa, and ready to evacuate, wrongly thinking the Germans were coming. After victory at Tebessa, I suppose they could prepare for an attack north against rear of 1st Army. Might be a better option then Capri against Monty, he isn't the gravest threat at this stage.
 
Last edited:
Top