The codename for the planned operation to capture Gibraltar to deny the naval facilities to the Royal Navy and close the straits checkpoint into the Mediterranean. This would then have isolated the British bases in Malta and Egypt and set the conditions for success in North Africa. The reluctance of General Franco of Spain to enter the war precluded its execution and it remained a general staff study only.
"The plan called for two German army corps to enter Spain across the Pyrenees. One corps was to cross Spain and assault Gibraltar, while the other was to secure its flanks. Air support would need one fighter and two dive-bomber wings...The Plan also made provisions for occupying Spanish possessions in North Africa and the Canary Islands, who's reports could then be used for German U-Boats."
The German staff estimates of casualties were also very high due to the defensive nature of the British positions at "The Rock"
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| Gibraltar during a night air raid |
Expected German OOB
Expeditionary Corps (forming the covering force); General Rudolf Schmidt
- 16th Motorized Infantry Division (to concentrate at Valladolid)
- 16th Panzer Division (Cáceres)
- SS Division Totenkopf SS Division Totenkopf]] (Seville)
49 Gebirgsarmeekorps or Army Mountain Corps (forming the assault force); General Ludwig Kübler
- Grossdeutschland Infantry Regiment
- 98th Regiment of the 1st Mountain Division
- 26 medium and heavy artillery battalions
- 3 observation battalions
- 3 engineer battalions, which would use up to 150 "Goliath" remotely controlled mine clearing vehicles
- 2 Nebelwerfer battalions
- Brandenburg Regiment detachment of 150 men
Another source gives a slightly different projected strength for the Sturmdivision:
Stab/1. Gebirgsdivision: Lanz Hubert, Gen. Maj. (RDA: 01.11.1940)
Ia: Degen Hans, Obstlt. i. G.
x Gebirgsjägerregiment 98: Picker Egbert, Obst.
x (vst.) Infanterieregiment (mot.) "Großdeutschland": Stockhausen v Wilhelm, Obst.
x Kdr. d. Pion. XVIII. (Geb.) Armeekorps: Geiger Franz, Obst.
xx 3 Pionierbataillone
x Gebirgsartillerieregiment 79: Winkler Max, Obst.
xx 4 Abteilungen
x 1-2 Nebelwerferabteilungen
Strength: 460 Offiziere, 16.000 Mann. The troops were prepared near Besancon and Le Valdahon. Kaltenegger gives the following attack date: 10.01.1941, as well as a detailed plan for the operations. Air support should have come from Richthofen.
Source: Kaltenegger, Roland (1998): Die deutsche Gebirgstruppe 1935-1945, p. 179 ff.
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| Italian chart of Gibraltar Bay and harbour |
British Defences, 1941
- 2nd Battalion, The King's Regiment
- 2nd Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry
- 4th Battalion, The Black Watch (from July 1940)
- 4th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment (from July 1940)
- 3rd Heavy Regiment, Royal Artillery, with 8 x 9.2 inch, 7 x 6 inch and 6 x twin 6 pounder coast artillery guns
- 10th Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, with 4 x 3 inch, 4 x 3.7 inch, and 2 x 2 pounder anti-aircraft guns
- 82nd Heavy AA Regiment, Royal Artillery, (from July 1940), with 16 x 3.7 inch guns, 8 x 40mm 40mm Bofors AA guns and radar
- 3rd Searchlight Battery, Royal Artillery.[10]
- "Special Detachment" of No. 1 Tunnelling Company, Royal Canadian Engineers (from November 1940)
- No. 2 Tunnelling Company, Royal Canadian Engineers (from March 1941)[11]
- Royal Engineers, Royal Signals and supporting arms.
http://www.alternatewars.com/WW2/WW2_Documents/Fuhrer_Directives/FD_18.htm
http://stonebooks.com/history/felix.shtml
Part of the war I know nothing about, This would clearly make an excellent and exciting campaign. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.
ReplyDeleteDidn't know anything about this either. Would have some potential!
ReplyDeleteSure does!
DeleteSome of the planned, but not executed operations can really provide some interesting what-if scenarios. And the added background to show what was going through the staff officers during the war does provide some nice insight.
ReplyDeleteI agree - have a look at my blog post here for Operations Hercules, the planned invasion of Malta by Combines German-Italian forces. I'll post others here as I dig them out
DeleteA truly excellent post and well linked... but your links are very hard to make out on the dark background.
ReplyDeleteGibraltar is just down the road from me and while the defences are formidable on the land side, those facing the coasts are more designed for anti-shipping and would not depress sufficiently to cover an amphibious assault. That being said, the number of machine gun and rifle positions spread out across these areas would make for a costly assault... most of them are still evident.
There are also some surviving Spanish positions in La Linea, although modern developments have hidden them from sight and the view they would have had of the British defences.
Samuli is right, the numerous planned ops make for some thinking... but you can usually see why they were never carried out. I believe there is one that exists for a purely Spanish attack on Gibraltar somewhere around the same time frame.
Thanks Jim. I've fixed those colours, thanks for the heads up.
DeleteYes indeed, some planning was done to provide options if circumstances change, which make interesting What Ifs. However, sometimes military planners go through planning to show that something might be a poor option and alternatives should be considered.
A truly excellent post and well linked... but your links are very hard to make out on the dark background.
ReplyDeleteGibraltar is just down the road from me and while the defences are formidable on the land side, those facing the coasts are more designed for anti-shipping and would not depress sufficiently to cover an amphibious assault. That being said, the number of machine gun and rifle positions spread out across these areas would make for a costly assault... most of them are still evident.
There are also some surviving Spanish positions in La Linea, although modern developments have hidden them from sight and the view they would have had of the British defences.
Samuli is right, the numerous planned ops make for some thinking... but you can usually see why they were never carried out. I believe there is one that exists for a purely Spanish attack on Gibraltar somewhere around the same time frame.
great stuff, paul! btw - can you email me your new address? i can't seem to find it and i'll be going to historicon and want to meet up.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteDrop me a line at 'pauljamesog' at that gmail place
Terrific wargaming potential! I would love to see this played out with small units like in Squad Leader. But where to find the hex maps?!?!
ReplyDeleteNow thats a clever idea! Sadly I have no idea where you can make DIY hex maps though
DeleteWhat a wonderful 'what-if' scenario. It would make for a spectacular game. Thanks for posting this Paul!
ReplyDeleteIt would indeed be a great demonstration game in say 6 or 15mm!
DeleteBTW everybody, if you are into they weirder side of WW2, the game Incursion by Grindhouse games is a Space Hulkesque vision of the Allies retaking Gibraltar after the Germans took it and used it for hideous scientific lab experiments. Not very serious and a lot of fun!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.grindhousegames.com/pages/incursion-home
I have always wondered why the German and Italian never took Malta and Gilbraltar as they were such a pain in their a...
ReplyDeleteI believe the wipeout of the airborne forces in Crete is the main reason. We've been lucky. :)
What if Italian navy would rule the Mediterranean, the Egypt campaign would be a lot different.
Rommel pleaded for the neutralisation of Malta for a long time (OP Herkules) but the FSJ casualties at Crete combined with Hitler's priorities in Russia meant that it was never authorised. You are correct, it would have made a big difference in North Africa.
Deletehttp://tasmancave.blogspot.com/2011/11/operation-herkules.html
The OOBs neglect to mention the German zombies used, both for clearing out the fortress and bomberzombies for mining ships...
ReplyDelete:-D
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