Battle of Point 175 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Point 175 |
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| Part of Operation Crusader during the Second World War | |||||||
 Tobruk–Sollum area 1941 |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Italy |
 New Zealand |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Mario Balotta | Bernard Freyberg | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 132nd Armoured Division Ariete: 9,274 men | 2nd New Zealand Division: 20,000 men | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Operation Crusader: 5,707 | Operation Crusader: 4,620 | ||||||
The Battle of Point 175 was an important fight during Operation Crusader in the Second World War. It happened from November 29 to December 1, 1941, in the Western Desert Campaign. Point 175 was a small hill in Libya with a great view of the area.
In early November 1941, German soldiers held Point 175. Troops from the 2nd New Zealand Division and British tanks attacked and captured it on November 23. The New Zealanders then pushed west. They met up with soldiers from the Tobruk garrison, who had broken out to join them.
From November 29 to December 1, the New Zealanders defended Point 175. They also protected the area to the west. The Axis forces (Germany and Italy) tried to cut off the link to Tobruk. They also wanted to regain control of the local roads. The new 132nd Armoured Division Ariete from Italy recaptured Point 175 on November 29.
The New Zealand defenders made a big mistake. They thought Italian tanks heading their way were friendly South African reinforcements. They let the tanks get close without a fight. About 167 New Zealand soldiers were captured. The Italian soldiers were also surprised to find the area unguarded. The 6th New Zealand Brigade was almost destroyed in the fighting. Its remaining soldiers retreated. The New Zealand Division then went back to Egypt to get new supplies and soldiers. They had lost 4,620 men.
Contents
Background to the Battle
The Desert Battlefield
The Western Desert is a huge, flat, stony area. It stretches about 240 miles (386 km) wide. It goes from Mersa Matruh in Egypt to Gazala on the Libyan coast. The only paved road was the Via Balbia along the coast. Further inland, the Great Sand Sea forms the southern edge of the desert.
This desert is a very tough place to fight. It has scorpions, snakes, and flies. Only a few Bedouin nomads live there. They use old tracks to find water wells. Soldiers had to navigate by the sun, stars, and compass. They also needed "desert sense" to understand the land.
Summers are extremely hot, and nights are very cold. A hot desert wind called the Sirocco (or Ghibli) blows fine sand. This sand makes it hard to see. It also gets into eyes, lungs, and machinery. Vehicles and planes needed special filters. All food, water, and military supplies had to be brought in from outside.
The area around Point 175 was mostly flat and open. This made it easy for vehicles to cross. But there were some ridges, especially near the coast. Point 175 itself was a rise on a ridge. It was important because it offered a good view. It was also near key tracks like the Trigh Capuzzo. This area was a bottleneck for Axis transport. This made it very important for both sides to control.
The Eighth Army's Plan
The British Eighth Army had a plan called Operation Crusader. Their main goal was to destroy the German Afrika Korps tanks. The British 7th Armoured Division would fight these tanks. Meanwhile, other British and Allied forces would advance.
The 2nd New Zealand Division had a special role. They were to move around the Axis defenses. They would threaten the enemy's rear. If the Axis forces tried to retreat, the New Zealanders would cut them off. The plan also included linking up with the British garrison stuck inside Tobruk. This was a very important part of the overall strategy.
The New Zealand commander, Bernard Freyberg, was careful. He insisted that his division should not fight enemy tanks alone. They needed British tanks to support them.
Prelude to the Battle
On November 23, the 6th New Zealand Brigade advanced. They moved west along the Trigh Capuzzo track towards Point 175. Minefields slowed them down. When dawn broke on November 24, they realized they had gone to the wrong place. By mistake, they had surrounded the headquarters of the Afrika Korps. The German staff were taken prisoner.
Point 175 was held by German soldiers with many machine-guns and mortars. The New Zealanders, with British tanks, attacked. They quickly defeated the Germans and captured 200 prisoners.
By November 25, the New Zealand brigades had pushed further west. They captured areas like Zaafran and Sidi Rezegh airfield. After a night attack, they also took Belhamed. The Tobruk garrison then broke out and captured Ed Duda on November 26. This linked them with the New Zealanders. The New Zealanders continued fighting. They destroyed a German battalion and captured the entire Sidi Rezegh ridge. This was a big success for the Allies.
The Battle for Point 175
November 29: The Surprise Attack
On the morning of November 29, the German 15th Panzer Division moved west. The 21st Panzer Division was supposed to join them. But its commander, General Johann von Ravenstein, was captured by the 21st New Zealand Battalion at Point 175.
Later that day, around 5:00 p.m., the 21st New Zealand Battalion was overrun. This happened when elements of the Italian 132nd Armoured Division Ariete attacked. The Italian tanks were moving quickly towards Point 175.
The New Zealanders had just received supplies. They were also expecting South African reinforcements. The Italian tanks were khaki-colored, and their crews had open hatches. They waved black berets. The New Zealanders mistook them for friendly South African armored cars. They came out of cover to wave them in. Instead, they were suddenly surrounded by Italian tanks and soldiers. About 200 men from the 21st Battalion were taken prisoner. This was a huge surprise for both sides.
The New Zealanders suffered heavy losses. The 24th and 26th battalions faced similar attacks. On December 1, a German tank attack almost destroyed the 20th Battalion. In these attacks, the New Zealanders lost 880 killed, 1,699 wounded, and 2,042 captured.
November 30: Fierce Fighting Continues
After being pushed back at Ed Duda, the German commander, Rommel, moved the 15th Panzer Division south. They planned a new attack for November 30. This attack aimed between Sidi Rezegh and Belhamed.
In the afternoon, the 6th New Zealand Brigade was attacked. Their battalions were down to only about 200 men each. The 24th Battalion was overrun, and two companies of the 26th Battalion were lost. They lost 600 prisoners and several guns. On the eastern side, the 25th Battalion fought off an attack from the Italian Ariete Division.
The New Zealand commander, Freyberg, asked to pull his remaining soldiers back. But his request was denied. The 1st South African Brigade was supposed to recapture Point 175 that night.
December 1: The Withdrawal
At 6:15 a.m. on December 1, the 15th Panzer Division attacked again. They fired many artillery shells. Their goal was to push the New Zealanders away from Tobruk. The 4th New Zealand Brigade was forced back. The 20th Battalion was overrun, splitting the New Zealand division in two.
During the morning, British tanks were ordered to counter-attack. The 4th Armoured Brigade Group arrived near the New Zealand positions. They outnumbered the German tanks. But new orders came to cover the New Zealanders' retreat to the south.
Around 2:00 p.m., Freyberg decided his position was impossible to hold. He signaled that he intended to withdraw. The New Zealanders began a desperate fighting retreat. By 5:30 p.m., the division was ready. They moved northeast towards Zaafran, under heavy fire from both sides.
Aftermath of the Battle
Casualties and Retreat
The 2nd New Zealand Division started Operation Crusader with 20,000 men. By the end, 879 were killed, 1,699 were wounded, and 2,042 were captured. This meant a total of 4,620 casualties for the division. The Italian Ariete Division also suffered heavy losses, with 4,731 men lost during Operation Crusader.
The remaining New Zealand soldiers reached friendly lines. Freyberg decided the division needed to leave the battle and get new equipment and soldiers. This was agreed to. About 3,500 men and 700 vehicles had escaped. They drove east and then south, heading back to the Egyptian border.
Later Operations
A short break in the fighting happened on December 3. The next day, the Germans realized how much the fighting had cost them. A German attack near Ed Duda was pushed back. Rommel, the German commander, then ordered his forces to abandon the besieged troops on the Egyptian border. He told them to retreat to Gazala.
- List of British military equipment of World War II
- List of Italian military equipment in World War II
