| Original caption: “Junkers Ju-87 dive-bombers on way to attack British tanks at Ghobi.” Luftwaffe (“Nazi German Air Force”) Ju-87B-2 Tropisch (“Tropical”) Sturzkampfflugzeug (Stuka – “Dive Bomber”) of 4.Staffel/Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 (StG2) Immelmann during the 1st Battle of Bir el Gubi (today Biʾr al-Ġubbiyy). Generaloberst Erwin Rommel (November 15, 1891 – October 14, 1944) Kommandant Detaches Afikakorps (DAK) had at last concluded, with some reluctance, that he could not help his frontier garrisons, isolate Tobruk, and still oppose Lieutenant General Willoughby Norrie’s (September 26, 1893 – May 25, 1977) XXX Corps by early December 1941. He therefore began to withdraw all his fighting forces and as much transport as possible from the areas north of the Via Balbia and around Sidi Rezegh. Covered by the Italian Ariete Armored Division, these withdrew to a line running from west of Ed Duda via El Adem to the neighborhood of Bir el Gubi. By December 6, 1941, this movement had been completed, and 8th Army had re-established contact, permanently this time, with Scobie in Tobruk. Attention meanwhile had already turned to Bir el Gubi, near which XXX Corps had concentrated. It had been joined by 11th Indian Brigade from Messervy’s Division which on December 4-5 attempted to storm Bir el Gubi but was thwarted by a battalion of the “Gruppo Speciale Giovani Fascisti” regiment, aided as usual by 2 Fiat Carro Aarmato M13/40 medium tanks along with 8 practically obsolete Cannone da 47/32 47 millimeter (1.9 inch) anti-tank guns. Despite their lack of success, these attacks convinced Rommel that a major British offensive was developing from this area, as indeed Norrie had originally intended. This, Rommel felt, he must check at all costs. On December 5, a Stuka raid on Norrie’s positions was intercepted by the Curtiss P-40 Tomahawks of Royal Air Force Numbers 112 and 250 Squadrons, which claimed 18 of the dive bombers or their escorting Messerschmidt Me-109 fighters for the loss of 5 of their own machines and 2 pilots. On the same day, however, the Afrika Korps, which had at last been re-united, fell on the unhappy 11th Indian Brigade, dispersing it. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0740.jpg |
| Image Size | 223.35 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 1317 x 1866 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | Kriegsberichter |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | November 23, 1941 |
| Location | |
| City | Bir el Gubi |
| State or Province | Cyrenaica |
| Country | Libya |
| Archive | Imperial War Museum |
| Record Number | MH 5591 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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