El Alamein (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter GJB22
- Start date
Panzer
Corporal
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2005
- Messages
- 561
GJB,
Most of the German fighting positions were a series of dispersed slit trenches positioned to provide overlapping fields of fire. Slit trenches were typically dug for two men and were usually 4 to 6 feet long by 2 ½ to 3 feet wide. Several meters to the front of these slit trenches were barbed wire entanglements usually in multiple rows and rigged with trip flares (when available) for early warning. Between the rows of barbed wire and well beyond were countless hidden antitank and antipersonnel mines. Hence the name ‘Devil’s Garden.’
When I was a Lieutenant, my unit participated in a joint exercise with some Egyptian commandos not too far from the El Alamein battlefield. We were warned not to stray off course as most of the El Alamein battlefield mines were never cleared.
I remember trying to dig fighting holes into the ground with axes as our entrenching tools would just bounce off the bedrock. The ground was unbelievably difficult to dig in. We managed to dig a few fighting positions but it took several hours of backbreaking work.
While extremely difficult to make, the plus side for both British and German soldiers who hunkered down in their slit trenches during artillery or other indirect fire attacks was that they were rarely injured unless they took a direct hit.
Another note is that the Germans had a pause between the battles of Alam el Haifa (30 August-5 September 1942} an El Alamein (23 October to 5 November) to reinforce and perfect their fighting positions. In fact, some German and Italian units used the same fighting positions for both battles.
Hope this helps.
Semper Fi!
Rick
Most of the German fighting positions were a series of dispersed slit trenches positioned to provide overlapping fields of fire. Slit trenches were typically dug for two men and were usually 4 to 6 feet long by 2 ½ to 3 feet wide. Several meters to the front of these slit trenches were barbed wire entanglements usually in multiple rows and rigged with trip flares (when available) for early warning. Between the rows of barbed wire and well beyond were countless hidden antitank and antipersonnel mines. Hence the name ‘Devil’s Garden.’
When I was a Lieutenant, my unit participated in a joint exercise with some Egyptian commandos not too far from the El Alamein battlefield. We were warned not to stray off course as most of the El Alamein battlefield mines were never cleared.
I remember trying to dig fighting holes into the ground with axes as our entrenching tools would just bounce off the bedrock. The ground was unbelievably difficult to dig in. We managed to dig a few fighting positions but it took several hours of backbreaking work.
While extremely difficult to make, the plus side for both British and German soldiers who hunkered down in their slit trenches during artillery or other indirect fire attacks was that they were rarely injured unless they took a direct hit.
Another note is that the Germans had a pause between the battles of Alam el Haifa (30 August-5 September 1942} an El Alamein (23 October to 5 November) to reinforce and perfect their fighting positions. In fact, some German and Italian units used the same fighting positions for both battles.
Hope this helps.
Semper Fi!
Rick