page_title: 2nd Armoured Division (United Kingdom)
section_title: March
hierarchical_section_title: 2nd Armoured Division (United Kingdom) / Second World War / Axis offensive / March
caption_attribution_description: English: The British Army in North Africa 1941 British soldiers inspecting a captured German PzKpfw III tank, 2 May 1941.
context_page_description: The 2nd Armoured Division was an armoured division of the British Army, which was active during the early stages of the Second World War. The division's creation had been discussed since the beginning of 1939, with the intent to form it by breaking up the 1st Armoured Division. A lack of tanks resulted in this not happening until December 1939. After its creation, the division was deprived of forces for a short while until elements of the 1st Armoured Division were assigned to it.
  In early 1940, priority for equipment was given to the 1st Armoured Division and the 2nd Armoured Division was forced to make do with whatever equipment could be provided. After the Battle of France, with the threat of a German invasion of the United Kingdom, priority for equipment shifted to the 2nd Armoured Division. While it was brought up to strength, it was planned to use the division to counter-attack the flanks of any invasion force. In August 1940, elements of the division were transported to Egypt to reinforce Middle East Command. In October, it was decided to transfer the rest of the division.
context_section_description: Italy had responded to Compass by redeploying their 5th Army from the border with French Tunisia towards Cyrenaica, and by dispatching the 132nd Armoured Division Ariete and the 102nd Motorised DivisionTrento. In addition, Germany had dispatched the Afrika Korps (the 5th Light and 15th Panzer Divisions) under the command of Generalleutnant Erwin Rommel. At the end of March, the 5th Light Division was on the border of Cyrenaica with 25 Panzer I, 45 Panzer II, 60 Panzer III and 17 Panzer  IV tanks. The Ariete had around 46 M13/40s in the forward area. The British had underestimated the scope of Axis reinforcements to Libya, believing they would not have four divisions available until the end of May, and then only two would be used extensively due to the expected strain on the supply line. British Royal Air Force (RAF) aerial reconnaissance had observed Axis troop movements towards Cyrenaica, and on 25 February spotted German Schwerer Panzerspähwagen (eight-wheeler armoured cars). These armoured cars were superior in both speed and armament to the 2nd Armoured Division's, who averted contact to avoid casualties. Continued reconnaissance flights showed further troop movements and preparations closing in on El Agheila.
  The forward area was patrolled by a single platoon from the 1st Tower Hamlet Rifles and elements of the KDG. On 23 March, the division had its first action with the enemy. A patrol of two armoured cars from the KDG, supported by a single anti-tank gun attached from the 9th Australian Division, spotted and engaged their German reconnaissance counterparts near El Agheila. The Axis force withdrew after the Australians claimed three vehicles knocked out. The following day, a platoon from the 1st Tower Hamlet Rifles moved forward to ensure that the colonial fort near El Agheila was still unoccupied, before an intended move to take up an ambush position to the west of the town. Nearing the fort, they found it occupied and came under fire. Shortly afterwards, German armoured cars moved forward. A brief clash occurred that resulted in one German armoured car being knocked out, and an Australian gun crew suffering casualties. After this brief action, the British screening force withdrew to Mersa Brega ceding El Agheila to the Axis. At least one, and maybe two, German tanks were subsequently lost striking mines in this area (potentially left over Italian ones, which had not been cleared by the British).
  On 31 March, the Axis forces renewed their attack. After dawn, the first clash of the day occurred with the 5th RTR. Sources either describe one clash from the British or German perspective, or two separate events. The 5th Light Division reported engaging up to five British tanks, in two inconclusive engagements with no losses on either side. The 5th RTR reported a patrol of four tanks observing the Axis advance; they then engaged resulting in one British tank damaged, and three Italian M13s potentially destroyed. By 09:00, the 3rd Armoured Brigade started to withdraw following their prearranged plans. After 10:00, the Germans moved forward towards the main position held by the Support Group at Mersa Brega. Skirmishing took place between the outposts held by the Tower Hamlet Rifles and the Germans, before the forward troops fell back to the main position. During the day, the fighting increased with both sides calling upon artillery to bombard each other's positions.
  A Luftwaffe attack by Junkers Ju 87 (Stuka) dive bombers was also conducted. The 2nd Armoured Division's AA gunners reported two planes shot down, and the Germans recorded a friendly fire incident with one bomber attacking German tanks. During this period, the 2nd Support Group reported having repulsed two attacks and driving off an advance by German armoured cars. The Germans recorded their own success in suppressing the British positions, destroying numerous vehicles that were within range of their guns and at least one tank of the 5th RTR. A request for the 3rd  Armoured Brigade to be deployed to assist was denied. Gambier-Perry reported there was "insuffic
caption: An example of the German Panzer III, the most common tank in the German Afrika Korps during this period.
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