Second Battle of El Alamein order of battle

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Second Battle of El Alamein Order of Battle is a listing of the significant formations that were involved in the battle, 23 October – 3 November 1942.

1 British 8th Army
2 Panzer Army Africa
- 2.1 Army troops
- 2.2 German Afrika Korps
  - 2.2.1 German 15th Panzer Division
  - 2.2.2 German 21st Panzer Division
3 Italian Army Africa
4 References and sources

[edit] British 8th Army

Under the command of Lieutenant General Bernard Montgomery

[edit] Army Troops

Kings Dragoon Guards
3 South African Armoured Car Regiment
4/8 South African Armoured Car Regiment

8th Army Troops RE
295 Field Company RE
566 Army Troops Company RE
568 Army Troops Company RE
25 Field Company South African Engineers
27 Field Company, South African Engineers
31 Field Company, South African Engineers

8th Army Signals

HQ British 8th Armoured Division

under Major-General Charles Henry Gairdner

- 146 Field Regiment RA
- 73 Anti-tank Regiment RA
- 56 LAA Regiment RA

- 6 Field Squadron RE
- 9 Field Squadron RE
- 145 Field Park Squadron RE

- 8 Armoured Division Signals

- 1st Army Tank Brigade under Brigadier Price
  - 42 Royal Tank Regiment
  - 44 Royal Tank Regiment

both equipped with minesweeping Matilda tanks

[edit] British XXX Corps

Under the command of Lieutenant General Oliver Leese

2 Medium Regiment RA
64 Medium Regiment RA
69 Medium Regiments RA

66 Mortar Coy RE
11 Field Company, South African Engineers
13 Field Company, South African Engineers
22 Field Park Company, South African Engineers

XXX Corps Signals

[edit] 9th Australian Division

under Major General Leslie Morshead

9 Division Cavalry Regiment
2/2 Machine Gun Battalion
2/3 Pioneer Battalion

2/7 Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
2/8 Field Regiment, RAA
2/12 Field Regiment RAA
3 Anti-tank Regiment, RAA
4 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RAA

2/3 Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers
2/7 Field Company RAE
2/13 Field Company RAE
2/4 Field Park Company RAE

9 Australian Division Signals

[edit] Australian 24th Brigade

under Brigadier Arthur H.L. Godfrey

2/28th Australian Infantry Battalion, Western Australia (WA)
2/32nd Australian Infantry Battalion, Victoria (Vic.)
2/43rd Australian Infantry Battalion, South Australia (SA)

[edit] Australian 26th Brigade

under Brigadier David A. Whitehead

2/23rd Australian Infantry Battalion, Vic.
2/24th Australian Infantry Battalion, Vic.
2/48th Australian Infantry Battalion, SA

[edit] Australian 20th Brigade

under Brigadier H. Wrigley

2/13th Australian Infantry Battalion, New South Wales (NSW)
2/15th Australian Infantry Battalion, Queensland (Qld)
2/17th Australian Infantry Battalion, NSW

[edit] British 23rd Armoured Brigade

under Brigadier George W. Richards

186 Valentine tanks

8 Royal Tank Regiment [u/c from 1 SA Division]
40 Royal Tank Regiment
46 Royal Tank Regiment
50 Royal Tank Regiment

[edit] British 51st (Highland) Infantry Division

under Major General Douglas Wimberley

51st Reconnaissance Battalion
1/7 Bn Middlesex Regiment (machine gun bn)

126 Field Regiment Royal Artillery
127 Field Regiment RA
128 Field Regiment RA
61 Anti-tank Regiment RA
40 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA

274 Field Company RE
275 Field Company RE
276 Field Company RE
239 Field Park Company RE

51st Highland Division Signals

[edit] British 152nd Infantry Brigade

under Brigadier George Murray

2 Bn Seaforth Highlanders
5 Bn Seaforth Highlanders
5 Bn Cameron Highlanders

[edit] British 153rd Infantry Brigade

under Brigadier Douglas Graham

5 Bn Black Watch
1 Bn Gordon Highlanders
4/7 Bn Gordon Highlanders

[edit] British 154th Infantry Brigade

under Brigadier Henry W. Houldsworth

1 Bn Black Watch
7 Bn Black Watch
7 Bn Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

[edit] 2nd New Zealand Division

under Lieutenant-General Bernard Freyberg

2 NZ Division Cavalry Regiment
27 Bn (machine gun bn)

4 Field Regiment Royal NZ Artillery
5 Field Regiment RNZA
6 Field Regiment RNZA
7 Anti-tank Regiment RNZA
14 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RNZA

6 Field Company Royal NZ Engineers
7 Field Company RNZE
8 Field Company RNZE
5 Field Park Company RNZE

2 NZ Division Signals

[edit] New Zealand 5th Infantry Brigade

under Brigadier Howard Kippenberger

21 Bn New Zealand Infantry
22 Bn New Zealand Infantry
23 Bn New Zealand Infantry
28 (Maori) Bn New Zealand Infantry

[edit] New Zealand 6th Infantry Brigade

under Brigadier William Gentry

24 Bn New Zealand Infantry
25 Bn New Zealand Infantry
26 Bn New Zealand Infantry

[edit] British 9 Armoured Brigade

under Brigadier John Currie

35 Sherman, 37 Grant, 46 Crusader =118

[edit] South African 1st Infantry Division

under Major-General Dan Pienaar

3rd South African Armoured Car Reconnaissance Regiment
Regiment President Steyn (Machine gun battalion)
2nd Regiment Botha

1st Field Regiment, Cape Field Artillery, South African Artillery
4th Field Regiment, SAA
7th Field Regiment, SAA
1st Light Anti-aircraft Regiment, SAA
1st Anti-tank Regiment, SAA

1 Field Company, South African Engineers
2 Field Company, SAE
3 Field Company, SAE
5 Field Company, SAE
19 Field Park Company, SAE

1 SA Division Signals

[edit] South African 1st Infantry Brigade

under Brigadier E.P. Hartshorn

[edit] South African 2nd Infantry Brigade

under Brigadier William Poole

1st Cape Town Highlanders
1st Natal Mounted Rifles
1st/2nd Field Force Battalion

[edit] South African 3rd Infantry Brigade

under Brigadier ?

[edit] Indian 4th Infantry Division

under Major-General Francis Tuker

Central India Horse (Reconnaissance)
5th Bn 6th Rajputana Regiment (machine gun)

1 Field Regiment Royal Artillery
11 Field Regiment RA
32 Field Regiment RA
149 Anti-tank Regiment RA
57 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA

4 Field Company, Bengal Sappers & Miners
12 Field Company, Madras Sappers & Miners
21 Field Company, Bombay Sappers & Miners
11 Field Park Company, Madras Sappers & Miners

4 Indian Division Signals

[edit] Indian 5th Infantry Brigade

under Brigadier Dudley Russell

1/4 BN The Essex Regiment
4 BN (Outram's) 6th Rajputana Rifles
3 BN Queen Mary's Own 10th Baluch Regiment

[edit] Indian 7th Infantry Brigade

under Brigadier Alan Holworthy

1 BN The Royal Sussex Regiment
4 BN 16th Punjab Regiment
1 BN 1 BN 2nd King Edward's Own Goorkha Rifles

[edit] Indian 161st Infantry Brigade

under Brigadier Francis E.C. Hughes

1 Bn Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
1st Bn 1st Punjab Regiment
4th Bn 7th Rajput Rifles

[edit] British XIII Corps

Under command of Lieutenant-General Brian Horrocks

577 Field Company RE
578 Field Company RE
576 Field Park Company RE

13 Corps Signals

[edit] British 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division

under Major-General John Nichols

2 Bn Cheshire Regiment (machine gun bn)

74 Field Regiment RA
111 Field Regiment RA
124 Field Regiment RA
154 Field Regiment RA
102 Anti-tank Regiment RA
34 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA

233 Field Company RE
505 Field Company RE
235 Field Park Company RE

50 Northumbrian Division Signals

[edit] 1st Greek Infantry Brigade

under Brigadier ?

1st Infantry Battalion
2nd Infantry Battalion
3rd Infantry Battalion

1st Artillery Regiment

1st Machine Gun Company

1 Engineer Company

[edit] British 151st Infantry Brigade (attached to 2nd New Zealand Division 29 October to 3 November)

under Brigadier Joscelyn E.S. Percy

6 Bn Durham Light Infantry
8 Bn Durham Light Infantry
9 Bn Durham Light Infantry

[edit] British 69th Infantry Brigade

under Brigadier Edward C. Cooke-Collis

5 Bn East Yorkshire Regiment
6 Bn Green Howards
7 Bn Green Howards

[edit] British 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division

under Major-General Ivor T.P.Hughes

44 Reconnaissance Battalion
6 Bn Cheshire Regiment (machine gun bn)

53 Field Regiment RA
57 Field Regiment RA
58 Field Regiment RA
65 Field Regiment RA
57 Anti-tank Regiment RA
30 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA

11 Field Company RE
209 Field Company RE
210 Field Company RE
211 Field Park Company RE

44 Home Counties Division Signals

[edit] British 132nd (Kent) Infantry Brigade

under Brigadier Lashmer Whistler

4th Bn. The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
5th Bn.The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
2nd Bn. The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)

[edit] British 7th Armoured Division

under Major-General John Harding

1 Household Cavalry Regiment
11th Hussars [under command from 4th Armoured Brigade]
2nd Derbyshire Yeomanry [under command from 8th Armoured Div]

3 Field Regiment RHA
4 Field Regiment RA
97 Field Regiment RA
65 Anti-tank Regiment RA
15 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA

4 Field Squadron RE
21 Field Squadron RE
143 Field Park Squadron RE

7 Armoured Division Signals

[edit] British 4th Light Armoured Brigade

under Brigadier Marcus G. Roddick

57 Stuart, 14 Grant –71 tanks

[edit] British 22nd Armoured Brigade

under Brigadier George "Pip" Roberts

57 Grant, 46 Crusader, 19 Stuart-122 tanks

[edit] British 131st Infantry Brigade

under Brigadier William Donovan Stamer

1/5 Bn Queens Regiment
1/6 Bn Queens Regiment
1/7 Bn Queens Regiment

[edit] 1st Free French Brigade

under Brigadier Marie Pierre Koenig

2 Foreign Legion Bn
3 Foreign Legion Bn
1 March Bn

1 Artillery Regiment

[edit] British X Corps

Under command of Lieutenant-General Herbert Lumsden

571 Field Company RE
572 Field Company RE
573 Field Company RE
570 Field Park Company RE

10 Corps Signals

[edit] British 1st Armoured Division

under Major-General Raymond Briggs

12th Royal Lancers
4/6 South African Armoured Car Regiment

2 Field Regiment RHA
4 Field Regiment RHA
11 Field Regiment RHA [ex 8th Armoured Div]
76 Anti-tank Regiment RA
42 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA

1 Field Squadron RE
7 Field Squadron RE
1 Field Park Squadron RE

1 Armoured Division Signals

[edit] British 2nd Armoured Brigade

under Brigadier Arthur Fisher

92 Sherman, 68 Crusader-160 tanks

[edit] British 7th Motor Brigade

under Brigadier Thomas J. Bosville

2 Bn Kings Royal Rifle Corps
2 Bn Rifle Brigade
7 Bn Rifle Brigade

[edit] British 10th Armoured Division

under Major-General Alexander Gatehouse

Royal Dragoons

1 Field Regiment RHA
5 Field Regiment RHA (attached from 8 Armoured Div)
104 Field Regiment RHA (attached from 8 Armoured Div)
98 Field Regiment RA
84 Anti-tank Regiment RA
53 Light Anti Aircraft Regiment RA

2 Field Squadron RE
3 Field Squadron RE
141 Field Park Squadron RE

10 Armoured Division Signals

[edit] 8th Armoured Brigade

under Brigadier Edward C.N. Custance

45 Crusader, 57 Grant, 31 Sherman-133 tanks

[edit] British 24th Armoured Brigade

under Brigadier Arthur G. Kenchington

93 Sherman, 45 Crusader=138 tanks

41 Royal Tank Regiment
45 Royal Tank Regiment
47 Royal Tank Regiment
11 Bn Kings Royal Rifle Corps

[edit] British 133rd Infantry Brigade

under Brigadier Alec W. Lee

2nd Bn, The Royal Sussex Regiment
4th Bn, The Royal Sussex Regiment
5th Bn, The Royal Sussex Regiment

[edit] Panzer Army Africa

(Field marshal Erwin Rommel, Georg Stumme at the start of the battle in Rommel's absence)

[edit] Army troops

[edit] German 90th Light Afrika Division

(GeneralMajor Ernst Strecker)

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 legionaires 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 detatchment)
- 605th Anti-tank Battalion
- 109th Anti-aircraft Battalion
- 606th Anti-aircraft Battalion

[edit] German 164th Light Afrika Division

(GeneralLeutenant Carl-Hans Lungershausen)

125th Infantry Regiment
382nd Infantry Regiment
433rd Infantry Regiment
220th Artillery Regiment
220th Engineer Battalion
220th Cyclist Unit
609th Anti-aircraft Battalion

[edit] Ramcke Parachute Brigade

(GeneralMajor Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke)

One battalion each from 2nd, 3rd and another Parachute Regiments (1st bn's 2 & 3, 2nd bn 5th)
Lehrbattalion Burkhardt
Parachute Artillery Battery
Parachute Anti-tank Battalion

[edit] German Afrika Korps

(GeneralLeutnant Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma)

[edit] German 15th Panzer Division

(GeneralMajor Gustav von Vaerst)

8th Panzer Regiment
113th PanzerGrenadier Regiment (should be 115th, 113th was assigned to 1st Pz Div)
33rd Artillery Regiment
33rd Anti-tank Battalion
33rd Engineer Battalion

[edit] German 21st Panzer Division

(GeneralMajor Heinz von Randow)

5th Panzer Regiment
104th PanzerGrenadier Regiment
155th Artillery Regiment
39th Anti-tank Battalion
200th Engineer Battalion

[edit] Italian Army Africa

(Marshal Ettore Bastico)
(Note: other than the Pistoia Division and rear-area troops, the Italian Army HQ in Africa had only administrative control over Italian formations. All Italian formations were under the tactical control of Rommel's Panzer Armee Afrika.)

[edit] Pistoia Division

35th Infantry Regiment
36th Infantry Regiment
3rd Motorised Artillery Regiment
?? Bersagliere Battalion

[edit] Giovanni Fascisti (Young Fascists) Division

2 Infantry Battalions

[edit] Italian X Corps

(Lieutenant General Edoardo Nebba; Major General Enrico Frattini in temporary command to October 26)

9th Bersagliere Regiment
16th Corps Artillery Group
8th Army Artillery Group

[edit] Italian 27 Infantry Division Brescia

(Major General Brunetto Brunetti)

19th Infantry Regiment
20th Infantry Regiment
1st Mobile Artillery Regiment
27th Mixed Engineer Regiment

[edit] Italian 17 Infantry Division Pavia

(Brigadier General N. Scattaglia)

27th Infantry Regiment
28th Infantry Regiment
26th Artillery Regiment
17th Mixed Engineer Battalion

[edit] Italian 185 Parachutist Division Folgore

(Major General Enrico Frattini)

185th Parachutist Regiment
186th Parachutist Regiment
187th Parachutist Regiment
185th Parachutist Artillery Regiment

[edit] Italian XX Motorized Corps

(Lieutenant General Giuseppi de Stephanis)

8th Army Artillery Group (part)
90th Engineer Company

[edit] Italian 132 Armoured Division Ariete

(Major General Raffaele Cadorna)

132nd Armoured Regiment
8th Bersaglieri Regiment (motorised)
132nd Artillery Regiment (motorised)
3rd Battalion Lancieri de Novara
3rd Battalion Nizza Cavalleria
32nd Mixed Engineer Battalion (motorised)

[edit] Italian 133 Armoured Division Littorio

(Major General G. Bitossi)

133rd Tank Regiment
5th Bersaglieri Infantry Regiment
3rd Artillery Regiment
133rd Artillery Regiment (part)
3rd Tank Group Lancieri di Novara

[edit] Italian 101 Motorised Division Trieste

(Brigadier General Francisco La Ferla)

11th Tank Battalion
65th Infantry Regiment
6th Infantry Regiment
21st Artillery Regiment
8th Armoured Bersagliere Regiment
52nd Mixed Artillery Battalion

[edit] Italian XXI Corps

(Lieutenant General Enea Navarini; Major General Alessandro Gloria in temporary command to October 26)

7th Bersagliere Regiment
24th Corps Artillery Group
8th Army Artillery Group (part)

[edit] Italian 102 Motorised Division Trento

(Brigadier General Giorgio Masina)

61st Infantry Regiment
62nd Infantry Regiment
46th Artillery Regiment

[edit] Italian 25 Infantry Division Bologna

(Major General Giorgio Masina)

39th Infantry Regiment
40th Infantry Regiment
205th Artillery Regiment
25th Engineer Battalion

[edit] References and sources

Wendell, Marcus. Axis History Factbook: German army order of battle. Retrieved on 2007-07-23.
Wendell, Marcus. Axis History Factbook: Italian army order of battle. Retrieved on 2007-07-23.
Orders of Battle.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-23.
World War II unit histories and officers. Retrieved on 2007-07-23.