Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 28, 2014 14:20:33 GMT 12
This is an interesting event from December 1944. Major-General Howard Kippenberger sat down with two captured German generals who opposed Kip's troops in the North African campaign and he gained their side of the story, for historical purposes.
This report comes from the Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 305, 26 December 1944 via PapersPast
IN RETROSPECT
AFRICA CAMPAIGNS
One N.Z. And Two German Generals Meet In London
N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent LONDON, Dec. 25.
Three generals sat down in a room in London recently and talked over their campaigns in North Africa. One was Major-General H. K. Kippenberger of the Second N.Z.E.F. The others were von Thoma and von Sporcke, two Wehrmacht generals captured in Egypt.
Von Sporcke, commander of the "Ninetieth Light," was directly opposed to General Kippenberger.
The reason for the meeting was to enable General Kippenberger, who is devoting some of his time to the historical section of the War Office, to collect data on the Somme campaign in 1940 and the North African campaigns. The Germans speaking in English conversed quite freely and amicably on the specific points raised.
General Kippenberger, when interviewed, said von Thoma and von Sporcke had hardly a good word to say for the other senior commanders in the Wehrmacht and they both hated Rommel. They said he was arbitrary and difficult to work with. He would often go direct to a unit and give it orders without telling its formation commander, thus causing confusion and trouble. Both admitted, however, that he had splendid drive.
Rommel Against Retreat
The generals made the interesting revelation that when Rommel was away on leave and the German forces were at El Alamein von Thoma had prepared plans for the German Army to retreat before the October moon to Halfya Pass and Solium, the reason being that they were having difficulty in maintaining their communications. They expected a British attack and von Thoma wanted to strengthen his forces and give longer lines of communications to the British while fighting several rearguard actions.
If the Germans had retreated the British attack would have been delayed until at least the middle of November. When Rommel returned he would not hear of a retreat. The plan was sent to Hitler's headquarters, which confirmed Rommel's decision. The generals expressed the opinion,, however, that had Rommel been convinced that retreat was the best plan he would not have hesitated to have gone against the orders of headquarters. He had done this before during May when, although Hitler ordered him to take Tobruk and stay at Sollum, he advanced to El Alamein.
The generals said Rommel was convinced he could win the battle, or at least have a fair chance of making a "draw" of it.
Malta's Fate in Balance
It is interesting to theorise on what would have been the position of Malta had the Germans retreated before the battle of El Alamein. Malta was in a precarious position. A convoy from Alexandria had failed to reach the island because of lack of air support and until the Cyrenaican airfields could be recaptured there was little chance of this necessary support being provided. Perhaps Malta would have fallen.
Field-Marshal Montgomery certainly did not want Rommel to retire and deliberately did not hit his forces over hard in the battle at the beginning of September. Field- Marshal Montgomery wanted to defeat the Germans there at El Alamein and fortunately the decision of Rommel and German headquarters played into his hands. If Rommel had not been defeated and had kept his Army intact fighting might still be going on in Tunisia to-day.
General Kippenberger and von Sporcke had a long talk about their fight at Nofilia at Christmas, 1942. In that battle there occurred the almost unprecedented event in modern war of two opposing commanders seeing one another on the field.
N.Z. Movement Observed
General Kippenberger told von Sporcke that as the New Zealanders approached to take the road he saw a group of German staff officers standing on Hill 164. Von Sporcke confirmed that he had been one of the officers and that he had seen the New Zealanders' movement in the desert and their turn to attack the road.
Von Sporcke had been too quick for the New Zealanders on that occasion, getting his men off their trucks and into position. The New Zealanders got held up by bad going, could not get over the road and were checked.
Von Sporcke observed to General Kippenberger: "We were old friends of yours." General Kippenberger told him that the New Zealand officers had contemplated, when the Tunisian campaign was near its end, giving a dinner to the officers of the "Ninetieth Light" when they captured them, but it never came to anything. Von Sporcke, who was most amused, said: "It would have been a great pleasure." He said he knew all the personalities of the New Zealand Division by name and asked about them.
Low Opinion of Italians
Von Sporcke gave General Kippenberger the German dispositions at El Alamein, which entirely; checked up with British information. He also confirmed the Wehrmacht's low opinion of the Italians, saying that they let the Germans down on every possible occasion.
The two Germans also talked about the 1940 campaigns, giving the various positions of the Wehrmacht. The conversation brought to light an interesting incident: In May, 1940, a German major on reconnaissance was shot down and on him the British found a plan of attack in a certain area. Allied headquarters decided it was a "plant." but the Germans told General Kippenberger that it was the actual plan of attack. The loss of the major caused the Germans great concern, but it was decided to continue with the attack, since it was thought unlikely that the Allies could alter their positions.
This report comes from the Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 305, 26 December 1944 via PapersPast
IN RETROSPECT
AFRICA CAMPAIGNS
One N.Z. And Two German Generals Meet In London
N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent LONDON, Dec. 25.
Three generals sat down in a room in London recently and talked over their campaigns in North Africa. One was Major-General H. K. Kippenberger of the Second N.Z.E.F. The others were von Thoma and von Sporcke, two Wehrmacht generals captured in Egypt.
Von Sporcke, commander of the "Ninetieth Light," was directly opposed to General Kippenberger.
The reason for the meeting was to enable General Kippenberger, who is devoting some of his time to the historical section of the War Office, to collect data on the Somme campaign in 1940 and the North African campaigns. The Germans speaking in English conversed quite freely and amicably on the specific points raised.
General Kippenberger, when interviewed, said von Thoma and von Sporcke had hardly a good word to say for the other senior commanders in the Wehrmacht and they both hated Rommel. They said he was arbitrary and difficult to work with. He would often go direct to a unit and give it orders without telling its formation commander, thus causing confusion and trouble. Both admitted, however, that he had splendid drive.
Rommel Against Retreat
The generals made the interesting revelation that when Rommel was away on leave and the German forces were at El Alamein von Thoma had prepared plans for the German Army to retreat before the October moon to Halfya Pass and Solium, the reason being that they were having difficulty in maintaining their communications. They expected a British attack and von Thoma wanted to strengthen his forces and give longer lines of communications to the British while fighting several rearguard actions.
If the Germans had retreated the British attack would have been delayed until at least the middle of November. When Rommel returned he would not hear of a retreat. The plan was sent to Hitler's headquarters, which confirmed Rommel's decision. The generals expressed the opinion,, however, that had Rommel been convinced that retreat was the best plan he would not have hesitated to have gone against the orders of headquarters. He had done this before during May when, although Hitler ordered him to take Tobruk and stay at Sollum, he advanced to El Alamein.
The generals said Rommel was convinced he could win the battle, or at least have a fair chance of making a "draw" of it.
Malta's Fate in Balance
It is interesting to theorise on what would have been the position of Malta had the Germans retreated before the battle of El Alamein. Malta was in a precarious position. A convoy from Alexandria had failed to reach the island because of lack of air support and until the Cyrenaican airfields could be recaptured there was little chance of this necessary support being provided. Perhaps Malta would have fallen.
Field-Marshal Montgomery certainly did not want Rommel to retire and deliberately did not hit his forces over hard in the battle at the beginning of September. Field- Marshal Montgomery wanted to defeat the Germans there at El Alamein and fortunately the decision of Rommel and German headquarters played into his hands. If Rommel had not been defeated and had kept his Army intact fighting might still be going on in Tunisia to-day.
General Kippenberger and von Sporcke had a long talk about their fight at Nofilia at Christmas, 1942. In that battle there occurred the almost unprecedented event in modern war of two opposing commanders seeing one another on the field.
N.Z. Movement Observed
General Kippenberger told von Sporcke that as the New Zealanders approached to take the road he saw a group of German staff officers standing on Hill 164. Von Sporcke confirmed that he had been one of the officers and that he had seen the New Zealanders' movement in the desert and their turn to attack the road.
Von Sporcke had been too quick for the New Zealanders on that occasion, getting his men off their trucks and into position. The New Zealanders got held up by bad going, could not get over the road and were checked.
Von Sporcke observed to General Kippenberger: "We were old friends of yours." General Kippenberger told him that the New Zealand officers had contemplated, when the Tunisian campaign was near its end, giving a dinner to the officers of the "Ninetieth Light" when they captured them, but it never came to anything. Von Sporcke, who was most amused, said: "It would have been a great pleasure." He said he knew all the personalities of the New Zealand Division by name and asked about them.
Low Opinion of Italians
Von Sporcke gave General Kippenberger the German dispositions at El Alamein, which entirely; checked up with British information. He also confirmed the Wehrmacht's low opinion of the Italians, saying that they let the Germans down on every possible occasion.
The two Germans also talked about the 1940 campaigns, giving the various positions of the Wehrmacht. The conversation brought to light an interesting incident: In May, 1940, a German major on reconnaissance was shot down and on him the British found a plan of attack in a certain area. Allied headquarters decided it was a "plant." but the Germans told General Kippenberger that it was the actual plan of attack. The loss of the major caused the Germans great concern, but it was decided to continue with the attack, since it was thought unlikely that the Allies could alter their positions.
