As the column moved forwards Capt. Rohrstock peered into the early morning gloom trying to pick out the enemy lines. The Stukas had done their work but he suspected it was mostly via guessing that actually being able to see the enemy. The wadi ahead and it's crossing represented the last natural defence between his men and Benghazi and he expected the enemy to put up a fierce defence.
The would no doubt be well dug in, he could only hope that they lacked the numbers to strongly man the entire wadi so he could seize the crossing point before reinforcements could arrive.
As the men pushed closer to the crossing point Rohrstock ordered the anti-tank gun to deploy to give covering fire and the squad in the half-track rumbled forwards using a sand dune as cover. Rohrstock was sure the enemy would have a anti-tank gun and didn't want it to have any easy targets.
Then fire erupted from hidden positions all along the far side of the wadi, bullets whistled overhead and shells from a gun landed amongst the troops. Fortunately his men where by now veterans of many encounters in the desert and instead of panicking they behaved magnificently. Whilst the machine gunners laid down return fire the rifle teams pushed onwards towards the crossing point.
With the assault imminent the anti-tank gun starting throwing shells over into the enemy lines with great accuracy and the half-track had also reached a position to start throwing fire into the defenders. This seemed to much for the defenders as Rohrstock saw a unit of Indians break from their defences and fall back into the desert behind.
Then the moment of decision, with a roar of it's engine the half-track darted forwards which seemed to catch the British A/T gun by surprise, Rohrstock presumed it was still loading HE shells as it didn't open fire. At the crossing it's section poured out and started to lay down a heavy fire whilst supporting troops also advance to the line of the wadi.
A desperate struggle then erupted around the wadi with much reduced and shell-shocked Indians holding off two close assaults by one of the rifle teams. Rohrstock made a note to work on the close assault tactics if he ever got some time away from the front-line.
However, his men's firing was still top notch and the defenders where blown away in a storm of machine gun fire. Even as reinforcements started to arrive it was too late, the crossing was his and his men would not be shifted from control even by an entire division!
The leaves Capt. Rohrstock and his men on the very outskirts of Benghazi, no doubt staff officers are burning their secret papers even as you read these lines.
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