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Bardia to Enfidaville

German and Italian

German and Italian

Many of the enemy documents captured during the progress of the war were translated and appended to the relevant war diaries. After the war the bulk of the material captured in Germany — generally speaking, complete documentation at divisional level and above — was transferred to Washington, USA. Mr W. D. Dawson was sent to Washington by the War History Branch to appraise this material and translate whatever had reference to the War History Branch programme. He also traced copies of many maps and diagrams. In addition, the author had access to the United Kingdom Enemy Documents Section. Unfortunately, as the enemy became hard-pressed, his documentation in Tunisia petered out.

Little lower-level Italian material for this period has survived the war. Most of the documents, usually at command level, that were consulted have survived only because they had been duplicated to a German command.

The chief enemy documents consulted were:

  • German-Italian Forces in Africa, 23 October 1942–23 February 1943. (German war narrative.)

  • German-Italian Army reports.

  • Appreciations by Colonel-General von Arnim, General Messe, and Field-Marshal Rommel of the situation in Tunisia, February-March 1943.

  • Report by Marshal Bastico on operations in Libya, 16 November 1942–3 February 1943.

  • Reports by General Messe on actions from Mareth to Akarit, 16–31 March 1943.

  • Reports from 1 Italian Army to Italian Supreme Command, 14 March—13 May 1943.

    • 1 Italian Army reports.

    • Africa Corps war diaries and appendices.

    • 10 Panzer Division war diaries and appendices.

    • 15 Panzer Division war diaries and appendices.

    • 21 Panzer Division war diaries and appendices.

    • 90 Light Division war diaries and appendices.

    • 164 Light Division war diaries and appendices.

    • 135 Anti-Aircraft Regiment war diaries.