The Second Battle of Mechili (Part 5: Last Stand of the 18th Cavalry)

Captain Barlow to the Rescue


Having seen off the infantry and gunners of Colonna Fabris, Captain Barlow might have been forgiven for wiping his brow, lighting a fag and surveying the battlefield with satisfaction. But the rattle of machine guns, crack of high velocity shells and the ever louder clank of tank tracks to his flank and rear gave him no such luxury. The Dorchester ACVs of Brigadier Vaughan and General Gambier-Parry rumbled into view down the track. Barlow ran to his Brigade Commander's vehicle and banged on the armoured door. The door swung open and Brigadier Vaughan appeared, Webley revolver in hand. "Sir, get out now, my boys will hold the road open as long as we can". Vaughan hesitated for a moment. "All right Barlow, good luck, see you in Tobruk." The door clanged shut and the column of vehicles lurched forward. 

The Dorchester ACVs of Brigadier Vaughan and General Gambier-Parry Lead the Escape Column Down the Eastern Track

The Dorchester ACVs of Brigadier Vaughan and General Gambier-Parry Lead the Column Down the British Escape Route

Barlow grabbed his RSM, who had volunteered for the Advance Guard, and told him to get the men formed up on the other side of the road. They arrived to find the Advance Guard's attached Portees blazing wrecks up the slope towards the Pimple, with Axis tanks, armoured vehicles and infantry approaching through the wreckage. Trucks from the main column blazed further down the track, but most were getting away, following the ACVs of Vaughan and Gambier-Parry. 

British Trucks Caught by Kampfgruppe Streich Blaze on the Escape Route

Trucks Blazing in the British Escape Column

A German half track lurched through the smoke toward Barlow's position, its shielded machine gun spraying bullets. He waited until the last minute, pulled the pin on a grenade and expertly lobbed it into the open rear compartment. Smoke poured from the interior, the metal rear doors burst open and an officer tumbled onto the ground. Barlow sprang forward to take him prisoner, clutching his revolver. 

Last Stand of the 18th Cavalry: Captain Barlow Throws a Grenade into Streich's Advancing Half Track

Captain Barlow Throws a Grenade into Streich's Half Track

As Barlow stood over the German officer, he suddenly realised that this was it, the battle was over. Axis tanks and infantry were overrunning his position. Generalmajor Johannes Streich was now on his feet, brushing the dust from his jacket. Their eyes met. Streich held out his hand as if to shake Barlow's, who turned his revolver around and placed it in Streich's hand. The Second Battle of Mechili had ended.

Chaotic Final Scenes as Kampfgruppe Streich Overruns the Advance Guard with Armoured Vehicles, Assault Engineers and Support Units

Chaotic Final Scenes as the British Advance Guard is Overrun by KG Streich

Victory in Defeat

As Captain Barlow finally sucked on a well earned fag, it felt like defeat. His men were being disarmed by Germans, dead and wounded comrades lay all around him and British vehicles blazed like torches along the track. A German staff car pulled up next to Streich's stricken half track. A shortish, stocky officer jumped out, wearing a chequered scarf and binoculars round his neck. He conversed briefly with Streich, who pointed at Barlow. The officer walked over to Barlow, extended his hand and spoke in English: "Congratulations Captain, you have made an excellent battle." Barlow shook his hand without smiling. "So where are your comrades, did they just leave you here?" The truth of the matter suddenly dawned on Barlow; the Brigade had escaped; they HAD won. He said nothing. Rommel nodded his head, turned on his heel and marched back to his staff, barking German orders as he went.

Major Rajendrasinhji Leads the Rearguard Escape Column Down the Southern Track from Mechili

Major Rajendrasinhji Leads the Rear Guard Escape Column Down the Southern Track

Looking back at the distant smoke and flames from the cab in his Morris 15cwt truck, Major Rajendrasinhji wondered what had befallen Captain Barlow and his men. Ahead of him and his convoy lay a gruelling drive through the desert to Tobruk, heading East off the Southern track to avoid Axis forces advancing to Mechili. He had finally got his men mounted up in the remaining trucks, taking only water, ammunition and some rations with them. The Bofors and Vickers Guns had been disabled and left in their pits. The last trucks entered the Wadi just as Oberst Schwerin's men were setting up on the fort's ramparts, catching a couple of unlucky trucks with machine gun fire. Most of the occupants had scrambled across the Wadi into other vehicles. 

Rearguard Transport is Caught by Machine Gun Fire from the Ramparts

Escaping Rear Guard Trucks Caught in Machine Gun Fire from the Ramparts

Back at the fort, Rommel stepped out of his Kubelwagen and climbed the stairs to the distinctive crenelated circular tower. In the distance he could see the dust of Major Rajendrasinhji's column heading South. He had captured the fort, but it left a very sour taste in his parched mouth.

Rommel Surveys the Battlefield from the Ramparts of Mechili Following the Battle

Rommel Surveys the Battlefield from the Fort

Post Mortem

The casualty list for the Axis was heavy, in particular the Italian led columns:

Colonna Montemurro: 11/17 Stands 
Colonna Fabris: 8/16 Stands
KG Streich: 4/15 Stands 
KG Schwerin: 0/9 Stands

For the British, Barlow's Advance Guard took the brunt of the casualties before surrendering:

Advance Guard: 7/12 Stands
Main Body: 5/19 Stands
Rear Guard: 2/12 Stands
LRDG: 0/2 Stands

The British escape succeeded largely because of 2 slices of luck and 2 poor Axis decisions. The British were lucky that their main escape column didn't run head first into KG Streich, which would have been catastrophic, and because Axis commanders proved consistently unable to take the initiative and change initial orders to their advantage as the battle developed (an amazingly bad run of initiative dice throws). For instance, Oberst Schwerin could have barged straight into the British Rear Guard rather than occupy the fort. 

The Axis mistakes were to mount a frontal assault on the Wadi, rather than infiltrate from the South, and the failure of Colonna Fabris to get out of the way of the British armoured spearhead as soon as they realised they were in trouble. They should have retreated behind their gun line in a tactical break off. The Axis should also have made more aggressive use of their heavy complement of anti-tank and field guns, which were generally either parked too far from the action or poorly deployed.

As for the British, their only real complaint was the complete absence of the LRDG, who spent the entire battle skulking in a Wadi!

A Final View of the Battlefield Showing the Reaguard Escape Column

A Final View of the Battlefield with the Rear Guard Escape Column Streaming South


Location: London, UK

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