Second Battle of El Alamein order of battle

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The Second Battle of El Alamein order of battle is a listing of the significant formations that were involved in the Second Battle of El Alamein during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War, 23 October – 4 November 1942.

British Eighth Army[]

Lt.-Gen. Bernard Law Montgomery

Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Law Montgomery

Under direct Army Command[]

Army Troops[]

  • B Squadron, 6th Royal Tank Regiment
  • 6th South African Armoured Car Regiment (one troop)
  • 566th Army Troops Company, Royal Engineers
  • 588th Army Troops Company, Royal Engineers
  • 25th Field Company, South African Engineers
  • 27th Field Company, South African Engineers
  • 31st Field Company, South African Engineers
  • 8th Army Signals, Royal Corps of Signals

British X Corps[]

Lt.-Gen. Herbert Lumsden
Lieutenant-General Herbert Lumsden
  • Under direct Corps Command
    • X Corps Troops, Royal Engineers[2]
      • 571st Army Field Company (attached to 10th Armoured Division)
      • 572nd Army Field Company (attached to 1st Armoured Division)
      • 573rd Army Field Company (attached to 10th Armoured Division)
      • 570th Corps Field Park Company
    • X Corps Signals, Royal Corps of Signals

British 1st Armoured Division[]

Major-General Raymond Briggs
  • Division-level units
  • British 2nd Armoured Brigade (Brigadier ) (92 Sherman, 68 Crusader, one Grant = 161 tanks [3])
  • British 7th Motor Brigade (Brigadier Thomas J. Bosville)
    • 2nd Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps
    • 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade[e]
    • 7th Battalion, Rifle Brigade
  • Hammerforce (attached from 8th Armoured Division)
    • 4th/6th South African Armoured Car Regiment
    • 146th (Pembroke & Cardiganshire) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
    • 73rd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
    • 56th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
    • Z Company, 1st Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers (machine gun company)
    • 7th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers
    • 9th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers
  • Minefield Task Force (under Commanding Officer, 2nd Bn Rifle Brigade)[f]
    • 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays) (one troop)
    • 9th Queen's Royal Lancers (one troop)
    • 10th Royal Hussars (one troop)
    • 7th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers
    • 9th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers (from 8th Armoured Division)
    • 572nd Army Field Company (from X Corps Troops Royal Engineers)
    • 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade (less Support Company)

British 10th Armoured Division[]

Major-General Alexander Gatehouse

British 8th Armoured Division[]

Major-General Charles Gairdner
  • 6th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers (detached to 10th Armoured Division)
  • 9th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers (detached to 1st Armoured Division)
  • 145th Field Park Squadron, Royal Engineers
  • 8th Armoured Division Signals, Royal Corps of Signals

British XIII Corps[]

Lt.-Gen. Brian Horrocks
Lieutenant-General Brian Horrocks

British 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division[]

Major-General John S. Nichols

British 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division[]

Major-General Ivor T.P. Hughes
  • Division-level Units
    • 44th Reconnaissance Regiment (detached to 7th Armoured Division)
    • 6th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment (machine gun battalion)
    • 53rd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
    • 57th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
    • 58th (Sussex) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
    • 65th (8th London) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
    • 57th (East Surrey) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
    • 30th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
    • 44th (Home Counties) Divisional Engineers
      • 11th Field Company, Royal Engineers
      • 209th (Sussex) Field Company, Royal Engineers
      • 210th (Sussex) Field Company, Royal Engineers
      • 211th (Sussex) Field Park Company, Royal Engineers
      • 577th Army Field Company, Royal Engineers (attached from XIII Corps Troops Royal Engineers)
    • 44th (Home Counties) Divisional Signals, Royal Corps of Signals
  • British 131st Infantry Brigade (Brigadier William Donovan Stamer)
  • British 132nd Infantry Brigade (Brigadier Lashmer Whistler)
  • British 133rd (Lorried) Infantry Brigade (Detached to 10th Armoured Division)

British 7th Armoured Division[]

Major-General John Harding
  • Division-level Units
    • 1st Household Cavalry Regiment
    • 11th Hussars (under command from 4th Armoured Brigade, in reserve])
    • 2nd Derbyshire Yeomanry (under command from 8th Armoured Division)
    • 44th Reconnaissance Regiment (under command from 44th Infantry Division)
    • 3rd Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery
    • 4th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
    • 97th (Kent Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
    • 65th (Norfolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
    • 15th (Isle of Man) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
    • 7th Armoured Divisional Engineers
      • 4th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers
      • 21st Field Squadron, Royal Engineers
      • 143rd Field Park Squadron, Royal Engineers
    • 7th Armoured Division Signals, Royal Corps of Signals
  • British 4th Light Armoured Brigade (Brigadier Marcus G. Roddick) (57 Stuart, 14 Grant = 71 tanks and 9 armoured cars)
  • British 22nd Armoured Brigade (Brigadier George "Pip" Roberts) (57 Grant, 50 Crusader, 19 Stuart = 126 tanks)
  • 1st Free French Brigade Group (under command) (Brigadier Marie Pierre Koenig)
    • 1st Battalion, Foreign Legion
    • 2nd Battalion, Foreign Legion
    • 3rd Battalion, Pacific Marine Infantry
    • 3rd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (attached)
    • 1st Free French Artillery Regiment
    • 2nd Anti-Aircraft Company, 1st Marine Fusiliers
    • 2nd Free French Anti-Tank Company
    • 22nd North African Anti-Tank Company
    • 1st Field Company, Free French Engineers
  • With (under command)
    • 1st Free French Flying Column
    • Armoured Car Squadron and Portee troop, 1st Morocco Spahis
    • 1st Free French Tank Company
    • Anti-Aircraft troop, 1st Battalion, French Foreign Legion

British XXX Corps[]

Lt.-Gen. Oliver Leese
Lieutenant-General Oliver Leese

Australian 9th Division[]

Major-General Leslie Morshead
  • Division-level Units
    • 9th Division Cavalry Regiment
    • 2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion
    • 2/3rd Pioneer Battalion
    • 2/7th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
    • 2/8th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
    • 2/12th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
    • 3rd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
    • 4th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
    • 2/3rd Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers
    • 2/7th Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers
    • 2/13th Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers
    • 2/4th Field Park Company, Royal Australian Engineers
    • 9th Australian Division Signals
  • Australian 24th Brigade (Brigadier Arthur H.L. Godfrey)
    • 2/28th Australian Infantry Battalion, Western Australia
    • 2/32nd Australian Infantry Battalion, Victoria
    • 2/43rd Australian Infantry Battalion, South Australia
  • Australian 26th Brigade (Brigadier David A. Whitehead)
  • Australian 20th Brigade (Brigadier Hugh Wrigley)
    • 2/13th Australian Infantry Battalion, New South Wales
    • 2/15th Australian Infantry Battalion, Queensland
    • 2/17th Australian Infantry Battalion, New South Wales

British 51st (Highland) Infantry Division[]

Major-General Douglas Wimberley
  • Division-level Units
    • 51st Battalion, Reconnaissance Regiment
    • 1/7th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment (machine gun battalion)
    • 50th Royal Tank Regiment (attached from 23rd Armoured Brigade)
    • 126th (Highland) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
    • 127th (Highland) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
    • 128th (Highland) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
    • 61st (West Highland) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
    • 40th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
    • 51st (Highland) Divisional Engineers
      • 274th Field Company, Royal Engineers
      • 275th Field Company, Royal Engineers
      • 276th Field Company, Royal Engineers
      • 239th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers
    • 51st Highland Division Signals, Royal Corps of Signals
  • British 152nd Infantry Brigade (Brigadier George Murray)
  • British 153rd Infantry Brigade (Brigadier Douglas Graham)
  • British 154th Infantry Brigade (Brigadier Henry W. Houldsworth)

2nd New Zealand Division[]

Lieutenant-General Bernard Freyberg

South African 1st Infantry Division[]

Major-General Dan Pienaar
  • Division-level Units
    • 8th Royal Tank Regiment [i]
    • 3rd South African Armoured Car Reconnaissance Regiment
    • Regiment President Steyn (machine gun battalion)
    • 2nd Regiment Botha (in reserve until 31 October)
    • 1st Field Regiment, Cape Field Artillery, South African Artillery
    • , South African Artillery
    • 7th Field Regiment, South African Artillery
    • 1st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, South African Artillery
    • 1st Anti-Tank Regiment, South African Artillery
    • 1st Field Company, South African Engineers
    • 2nd Field Company, South African Engineers
    • 3rd Field Company, South African Engineers
    • 5th Field Company, South African Engineers
    • 19th Field Park Company, South African Engineers
    • 1st South African Division Signals
  • South African 1st Infantry Brigade (Brigadier E.P. Hartshorn)
  • South African 2nd Infantry Brigade (Brigadier Evered Poole)
    • 1st Cape Town Highlanders
    • 1st Natal Mounted Rifles
    • 1st/2nd Field Force Battalion
  • South African 3rd Infantry Brigade

4th Indian Infantry Division[]

Major-General Francis Tuker

Corps Reserve[]

Panzer Armee Afrika[]

Field Marshal Erwin Rommel

Generalfeldmarschall [j] Erwin Rommel [k]

Army troops[]

German 90th Light Afrika Division[]

Generalmajor [l]
  • 155th Panzergrenadier Regiment (with 707th Heavy Infantry Gun Company)
  • 200th Panzergrenadier Regiment (with 708th Heavy Infantry Gun Company)
  • 346th Panzergrenadier Regiment (should be 361st, 346th assigned to 217th Inf Div, the 361st was formed in theatre from former French Foreign Legionnaires of German origin)
  • 190th Artillery Regiment
  • 190th Anti-tank Battalion
  • under command: Force 288 (Panzergrenadier Regiment Afrika, the three battalions listed after this are not part of this 8-to-10 company detachment)
    • 605th Anti-tank Battalion
    • 109th Anti-aircraft Battalion
    • 606th Anti-aircraft Battalion

Deutsches Afrika Korps[]

Gnlltnt. Wilhem Ritter von Thoma
Generalleutnant [m] Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma

German 15th Panzer Division[]

Generalmajor [n] Gustav von Vaerst
  • 8th Panzer Regiment
  • 115th Panzergrenadier Regiment
  • 33rd Artillery Regiment
  • 33rd Anti-tank Battalion
  • 33rd Engineer Battalion

German 21st Panzer Division[]

Generalmajor [o] Heinz von Randow
  • 5th Panzer Regiment
  • 104th Panzergrenadier Regiment
  • 155th Artillery Regiment
  • 39th Anti-tank Battalion
  • 200th Engineer Battalion

Italian Army Africa[]

Marshal Ettore Bastico

The commander of the Italian Army Africa Marshal Ettore Bastico had no tactical control over Italian formations at El Alamein. All Italian units there were assigned to Rommel's Panzer Armee Afrika. The only two units under Bastico's command were the 16th Motorised Division Pistoia, which had just arrived from Italy and was not yet ready for frontline duty, and the 136th Armoured Division "Giovani Fascisti", which was garrisoning the Siwa Oasis

16th Motorised Division "Pistoia"[]

  • 16th Motorised Division "Pistoia", Generale di Divisione Giuseppe Falugi
    • 35th Infantry Regiment "Pistoia"
    • 36th Infantry Regiment "Pistoia"
    • 3rd Motorised Artillery Regiment
    • XVI Mortar Battalion
    • LI Mixed Engineer Battalion
    • 16th Anti-tank Company

136th Armoured Division "Giovani Fascisti"[]

  • 136th Armoured Division "Giovani Fascisti", Generale di Divisione
    • Infantry Regiment "Giovani Fascisti" (2x battalions)
    • IX Autonomous Infantry Battalion
    • 136th Artillery Regiment
      • XIV Motorized Artillery Group (65/17 field guns mounted on Morris CS8)
      • XV Motorized Artillery Group (65/17 field guns mounted on Morris CS8)
      • XVI Motorized Artillery Group (75/27 field guns mounted on TL.37)
      • XVII Motorized Artillery Group (100/17 howitzers mounted on Lancia 3Ro trucks)
      • 88th Anti-aircraft Battery ([[Breda Model 35|20/65 Mod. 35 anti-aircraft guns)
    • III Armoured Squadrons Group "Cavalleggeri del Monferrato" (AB 41 Armoured cars)

X Army Corps[]

  • Italian X Army Corps,[6] Generale di Divisione Federico Ferrari Orsi (KIA on 18 October 1942), temporary replacement until 26 October Generale di Divisione Enrico Frattini, from 27 October Generale di Divisione (POW on 7 November 1942)
    • 9th Bersaglieri Regiment
      • XXVIII Bersaglieri Battalion
      • LVII Bersaglieri Battalion
    • 16th Army Corps Artillery Grouping
      • XLIX Artillery Group (105/28 howitzers)
      • CXLVII Heavy Artillery Group (149/28 howitzers)
    • X Construction Engineers Battalion
    • X Signal Engineers Battalion
    • XXXI Sappers Battalion
    • 65th Field Hospital
    • 91st Field Hospital

17th Infantry Division "Pavia"[]

27th Infantry Division "Brescia"[]

  • 27th Infantry Division "Brescia", Generale di Divisione Brunetto Brunetti
    • 19th Infantry Regiment "Brescia" (2x battalions)
    • 20th Infantry Regiment "Brescia" (3x battalions)
    • 1st Fast Artillery Regiment
      • I Group (100/17 howitzers)
      • III Group (75/27 field guns)
      • IV Group (75/27 field guns)
      • V Group (8.8cm Flak and 20/65 Mod. 35 anti-aircraft guns)
      • 401st Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 Mod. 35 anti-aircraft guns)
      • 404th Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 Mod. 35 anti-aircraft guns)
    • XXVII Mixed Engineer Battalion

185th Infantry Division "Folgore"[]

Ramcke Parachute Brigade[]

XX Army Corps[]

101st Motorised Division "Trieste"[]

  • 101st Motorised Division "Trieste", Generale di Divisione Francesco La Ferla
    • 65th Infantry Regiment "Valtellina" (2x battalions)
    • 66th Infantry Regiment "Valtellina" (2x battalions)
    • 21st Motorised Artillery Regiment
      • I Group (100/17 howitzers)
      • II Group (100/17 howitzers)
      • III Group (75/27 field guns)
      • IV Group (75/27 field guns)
      • 5th Battery / XLII Anti-aircraft Group (75/50 anti-aircraft guns)
    • VIII Armoured Bersaglieri Battalion (AB 41 armoured cars)
    • XI Tank Battalion "M" (M13/40 and M14/41 tanks)
    • XXXII Mixed Motorised Engineer Battalion

132nd Armoured Division "Ariete"[]

133rd Armoured Division "Littorio"[]

164th Light Africa Division[]

XXI Army Corps[]

  • Italian XXI Army Corps,[13] Generale di Corpo d'Armata Enea Navarini; Generale di Divisione Alessandro Gloria in temporary command until October 26
    • 7th Bersaglieri Regiment
      • X Bersaglieri Battalion
      • XI Bersaglieri Battalion
    • 8th Army Corps Artillery Grouping
      • XXXIII Heavy Artillery Group (149/40 guns)
      • LII Heavy Artillery Group (152/37 guns)
      • CXXXI Heavy Artillery Group (149/28 howitzers)
    • XXVII Construction Engineers Battalion
    • LXV Signal Engineers Battalion
    • 14th Fortification Engineer Company

25th Infantry Division "Bologna"[]

  • 25th Infantry Division "Bologna", Generale di Divisione Alessandro Gloria
    • 39th Infantry Regiment "Bologna" (3x battalions)
    • 40th Infantry Regiment "Bologna" (2x battalions)
    • 205th Artillery Regiment "Bologna"
      • I Group (100/17 howitzers)
      • II Group (100/17 howitzers)
      • III Group (75/27 field guns)
      • IV Group (75/27 field guns)
      • 4th Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 Mod. 35 anti-aircraft guns)
      • 437th Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 Mod. 35 anti-aircraft guns)
    • CCCLVII Frontier Guard Artillery Group (8 cm FK M. 5|77/28]] field guns)
    • XXV Mixed Engineer Battalion

102nd Motorised Division "Trento"[]

  • 102nd Motorised Division "Trento", Generale di Brigata
    • 61st Infantry Regiment "Sicilia" (3x battalions)
    • 62nd Infantry Regiment "Sicilia" (3x battalions)
    • 46th Motorised Artillery Regiment "Trento"
      • I Group (100/17 howitzers)
      • II Group (100/17 howitzers)
      • III Group (75/27 field guns)
      • IV Group (75/27 and 75/13 field guns)
      • 412th Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 Mod. 35 anti-aircraft guns)
      • 414th Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 Mod. 35 anti-aircraft guns)
    • LXIII Anti-aircraft Group (75/50 anti-aircraft guns)
    • CCCLIV Frontier Guard Artillery Group (8 cm FK M. 5|77/28]] field guns)
    • CCCLV Frontier Guard Artillery Group (75/27 field guns)
    • CXXXI Heavy Artillery Group (149/28 howitzers)
    • IV Anti-tank Battalion "Granatieri di Sardegna" (47/32 anti-tank guns)
    • LI Mixed Motorised Engineer Battalion

Notes[]

  1. ^ Equipped with minesweeping Matilda tanks, allotted to XXX Corps for minefield clearance[1]
  2. ^ For HQ and railway protection[1]
  3. ^ Used for HQ protection, camouflage and guard duties[1]
  4. ^ Equipped with M7 Priest
  5. ^ Detached less support company to Hammerforce
  6. ^ Attached to Hammerforce for mine clearance [3]]
  7. ^ Attached from 44th Infantry Division
  8. ^ Attached to 2nd New Zealand Division 29 October to 3 November
  9. ^ Attached from 23rd Armoured Brigade, in reserve until 31 October; 1 SA Division had a Reserve Group comprising 8 RTR, 3 SA Armoured Car Regt. less two squadrons, 2 Regt. Botha (from 1 SA Infantry Brigade), a battery of anti-tank guns and a troop each of light anti-aircraft guns and Scorpion anti-mine flail tanks. The group was disbanded on 31 October.[5]
  10. ^ Equivalent to an Anglo Field Marshal
  11. ^ General der Panzertruppe Georg Stumme was in command at the start of the battle in Rommel's absence on sick leave.
  12. ^ Equivalent to an Anglo-American Brigadier-General
  13. ^ Equivalent to an Anglo-American Major-General
  14. ^ Equivalent to an Anglo-American Brigadier-General
  15. ^ Equivalent to an Anglo-American Brigadier-General
  16. ^ Equivalent to an Anglo-American Brigadier-General
  17. ^ Equivalent to an Anglo-American Major-General

References[]

  1. ^ a b c Joslen, p. 566
  2. ^ Pakenham-Walsh, pp. 385 & 393.
  3. ^ a b Joslen, p. 567
  4. ^ Joslen, p. 568
  5. ^ Joslen, p. 573
  6. ^ "El Alamein - Il X Corpo d'Armata". Italian Army. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  7. ^ "186° Reggimento Paracadutisti "Folgore" - La Storia". Italian Army. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  8. ^ "187° Reggimento Paracadutisti "Folgore" - La Storia". Italian Army. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  9. ^ "185° Reggimento Artiglieria Paracadutisti "Folgore" - La Storia". Italian Army. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  10. ^ "8° Reggimento Genio Guastatori Paracadutisti "Folgore" - La Storia". Italian Army. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  11. ^ a b c "El Alamein - Lo schieramento italiano". Italian Army. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  12. ^ "El Alamein - Il XX Corpo d'Armata". Italian Army. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  13. ^ "El Alamein - Il XXI Corpo d'Armata". Italian Army. Retrieved 16 November 2019.

Sources[]

Print[]

  • Joslen, H.F. (2003) [1st Pub. HMSO 1960]. Orders of battle : Second World War, 1939-1945. Uckfield: Naval & Military Press. ISBN 1-84342-474-6.
  • Pakenham-Walsh, Maj-Gen R.P. (1958). History of the Royal Engineers. VIII, 1938–1948. Chatham: Institution of Royal Engineers.

Web[]

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