Now that Lt. Gruber had weakened the enemy defences Capt. Rohrstock knew he had to strike to penetrate the enemy lines and force a breakthrough. Beyond the extensive minefield lay three enemy strong points that needed to be overcome.
Rohrstock had considered an attack with overwhelming force but given the need to penetrate the minefield through narrow channels and not wanting to give the enemy a chance to marshal their defences he went with a bold attack by a small force.
So it was just before dawn he gathered his men behind the cover of some sand dunes and waited for the engine noise of his supporting Stuka's to reach his ears.
Even as the Stuka's approached overhead and started their bombing of the enemy lines his men leapt away from the start line. Knowing the enemy would be well dug in and needing considerable firepower to shift them a Panzer III had be co-opted into the attack. The bombers did little in the way of actual damage but did keep the enemy in the bottom of their trenches as the attack started.
The tank lead the attack with one section rushing forwards on foot behind and another aboard a Steyr ready to rush forwards onto the first target. The attack worked perfectly with the tank taking the defenders of the first strongpoint off guard and whilst it kept their heads down the mobile section in the Steyr managed to storm the bunker unopposed and take control without losing a man.
As the Sikh's around the first target fell back they received support in the shape of a 2 pdr A/T gun which bravely tried to engage the Panzer III, however the tank's armour was more that equal to the shots fired by the A/T team.
The same was not true when the tank returned fire and on it's second shot it penetrated the shield on the gun and wiped it and it's crew out. At this point the second team of the 1st section was sent out to scout the 2nd target to see what defences the enemy could put up. They came under heavy fire which forced them to hit the dirt but miraculously took no casualties.
This however lead to a murderous fire being poured into the second strongpoint with Capt. Rohrstock ordering his men to keep up a sustained and withering fire. The tank in particular wreaked havoc in the defenders with it's HE shells and machinegun fire greatly damaging their will to continue.
As the fire continued the defenders could no longer muster a defence and despite some limited support from a mortar first one and then all the defenders decided they could no longer stay under the concentrated fire of all the German forces and thus quit the field.
And so for the loss of only 2 men Capt. Rohrstock claimed a great victory and having penetrated the first and most dangerous line of defence set his eyes firmly on the prize of Benghazi. Of course the Rats would have something to say about that but he was confident his Foxes would be triumphant.
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