TEXT: Operation Brevity Axis Forces 
   
   
   
  May 15, 1941 
  By Greg Moore 
  gregpanzerblitz.com 
  May, 2009 
          Kampfgruppe von Herff mainly acted as mobile reserve to back up the 
  Italians who were defending the border. When the battle started, nearly all 
  these forces were put on the move to respond to the British.  The reaction 
  group participated in the retaking of Ft. Capuzzo. 
  Kampfgruppe von Herff (everything on this page) 
  3rd 
  Recon 
  Battalion 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 3 
  x 3 
  x 1 
  x 2 
  x 1 
  x 2 
  II/5th 
  Panzer 
  Regiment 
  x 1 
  x 3 
  x 3 
  15th 
  Motorcycle 
  Battalion 
  (1 company) 
  33rd 
  Recon 
  Battalion 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 3 
  x 3 
  x 2 
  x 4 
  x 9 
  Italian 
  I/61st 
  Motorized 
  Infantry 
  Battalion 
   
  x 2 
  x 13 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 2 
  x 1 
  x 2 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  severely 
  under-
  strength 
  after recent 
  campaign 
  represents 
  two 105 
  howitzers 
  from the 
  Trento 
  division 
  These two battalions 
  were 
  stationed 
  at 
  Bardia and were the 
  mobile reaction force 
  for any trouble along 
  the border. 
  This reinforced company 
  held the top of Halfaya 
  pass for the early part of 
  the battle before finally 
  being overrun. 
  x 1 
  x 2 
  x 1 
  These 
  two 
  recon 
  battalions from the 
  two Panzer Divisions 
  were stationed be-
  hind the border and 
  ready to respond to 
  any enemy threats as 
  needed.  33rd Recon 
  was ordered to coun-
  terattack late in the 
  first day but called it 
  off when 7 Matildas 
  were spotted. 
  Possibly stationed 
  near the top of 
  Halfaya Pass. 
  x 5 
  15th 
  Motorcycle 
  Battalion 
  (-) 
  Stationed at 
  Bir Hafid 
  x 8 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  
  I/8th 
  Panzer 
  Battalion 
  x 2 
  x 1 
  x 2 
  x 1 
  German Reinforcements sent immediately 
  x 3 
  x 3 
  Flak 
  Battery 
  shown at half 
  strength to 
  reflect losses 
  since begin-
  ning of  cam-
  paign 
  Further German Reinforcements sent on May 16 
  Kampfgruppe von Esebeck 
  Machine 
  Gun 
  Battalion 
   
  x 9 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 18 
  x 6 
  from 200th 
  Infantry regi-
  ment of 5th 
  Light Division 
   
  x 1 
  x 1 
  I/5th 
  Panzer 
  Battalion 
  (1 company) 
  x 1 
          This group was sent when the battle started immediately and arrived during the night of the first 
  day, ready for a counterattack.  The British pulled back to “Hellfire” Pass the next day and the Axis de-
  cided to wait for more reinforcements and additional preparation. 
          Because of reports of large concentrations of Allied tanks, Rommel decided to send even more of 
  his own tanks into the area  This kampfgruppe was ordered to move on the morning of the second day of 
  the battle (May 16) but arrived late in the day and low on fuel and did not see any action. 
  x 1 
  Panzer 
  Jager 
  Company 
  (-) 
  x 2 
  x 2 
  Artillery 
  Battalion 
  (-) 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Panzer Leader & Panzer Blitz/1940-1943 North Africa/Operation Brevity/BrevityGermansMay41.pdf