Changes

On November 23rd, the ''Bologna'' Division again withstood another strong British attack from Tobruk aimed at penetrating into the area of Sidi Rezegh, and the defenders bought sufficient time to allow the [[17th ''Pavia'' Infantry Division]] to mount an effective counter-attack and derail the British advance, as a German narrative later recorded:{{cquote|After a sudden artillery concentration the garrison of Fortress Tobruk, supported by sixty tanks, made an attack on the direction of Bel Hamid at noon, intending at long last unite with the main offence group. The Italian siege front around the fortress tried to offer a defence in the confusion but was forced to relinquish numerous strong points in the encirclement front about Bir Bu Assaten to superior enemy forces. The Italian "Pavia" Division was committed for a counterattack and managed to seal off the enemy breakthrough. <ref>German Experiences in Desert Warfare During World War II, Generalmajor Major Alfred Toppe (et al), Combat Studies Institute/Combined Arms Research Library, 1952</ref>}}

On November 23rd, the ''Bologna'' Division again withstood another strong British attack from Tobruk aimed at penetrating into the area of Sidi Rezegh, and the defenders bought sufficient time to allow the [[17th ''Pavia'' Infantry Division]] to mount an effective counter-attack and derail the British advance, as a German narrative later recorded:{{cquote|After a sudden artillery concentration the garrison of Fortress Tobruk, supported by sixty tanks, made an attack on the direction of Bel Hamid at noon, intending at long last unite with the main offence group. The Italian siege front around the fortress tried to offer a defence in the confusion but was forced to relinquish numerous strong points in the encirclement front about Bir Bu Assaten to superior enemy forces. The Italian "Pavia" Division was committed for a counterattack and managed to seal off the enemy breakthrough. <ref>German Experiences in Desert Warfare During World War II, Generalmajor Major Alfred Toppe (et al), Combat Studies Institute/Combined Arms Research Library, 1952</ref>}}

==El Alamein==

==El Alamein==

On November 4th, the final Allied attacks were made. The British 1st, 7th and 10th Armoured Divisions (under Major-General Gatehouse) penetrated through the Axis lines while heading towards Fuka. These attacks saw the destruction of the ''Ariete'' and ''Littorio'' Armoured Divisions, and the ''Bologna'' and ''Trieste'' Infantry Division. "On the morning of 4 November, however, 'a strong armoured force' of the British 7th Armoured Division penetrated the XXIst Corps' position and the Trento and Bologna Divisons gave ground." <ref>Germany and the Second World War: Volume 6: The Global War, Horst Boog, Werner Rahn, Reinhard Stumpf, Bernd Wegner, OUP Oxford, 2001</ref>

On November 4th, the final Allied attacks were made. The British 1st, 7th and 10th Armoured Divisions (under Major-General Gatehouse) penetrated through the Axis lines while heading towards Fuka. These attacks saw the destruction of the ''Ariete'' and ''Littorio'' Armoured Divisions, and the ''Bologna'' and ''Trieste'' Infantry Division. "On the morning of 4 November, however, 'a strong armoured force' of the British 7th Armoured Division penetrated the XXIst Corps' position and the Trento and Bologna Divisons gave ground." <ref>Germany and the Second World War: Volume 6: The Global War, Horst Boog, Werner Rahn, Reinhard Stumpf, Bernd Wegner, OUP Oxford, 2001</ref>

Private Sid Martindale from the 1st Battalion, The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, recalled the carnage inflicted in the Bologna Infantry Division:{{cquote|The more we advanced the more we realized that the Italians did not have much fight on them after putting up a strong resistance to our overwhelming advance and they started surrendering to our lead troops in droves. There was not much action to see but we came across lots of burnt out Italian tanks that had been destroyed by our tanks. I had never seen a battlefield before and the site of so many dead was sickening. <ref>The Italian Army In North Africa, Walter S. Zapotoczny, Fonthill Media, 2018</ref>}}

Private Sid Martindale from the 1st Battalion, The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, recalled the carnage inflicted in the ''Bologna'' Division:{{cquote|The more we advanced the more we realized that the Italians did not have much fight on them after putting up a strong resistance to our overwhelming advance and they started surrendering to our lead troops in droves. There was not much action to see but we came across lots of burnt out Italian tanks that had been destroyed by our tanks. I had never seen a battlefield before and the site of so many dead was sickening. <ref>The Italian Army In North Africa, Walter S. Zapotoczny, Fonthill Media, 2018</ref>}}

The remnants of the ''Bologna'' and ''Trento'' Divisions tried to fight their way out of the British encirclement, marching in the desert without water, food or transport before surrendering exhausted and suffering from severe dehydration. It was reported that Colonel Alfredo Dall'Olio, acting commander of the Bologna, surrendered saying: ''"We have ceased firing not because we haven't the desire but because we have spent every round."''<ref>Rolling Thunder: A Century of Tank Warfare, Philip Kaplan, p. 139, Pen and Sword, 2013</ref>In a final act of defiance, no one in what remained of the ''Bologna'' Division raised their hands.

The remnants of the ''Bologna'' and ''Trento'' Divisions tried to fight their way out of the British encirclement, marching in the desert without water, food or transport before surrendering exhausted and suffering from severe dehydration. It was reported that Colonel Alfredo Dall'Olio, acting commander of the ''Bologna'', surrendered saying: ''"We have ceased firing not because we haven't the desire but because we have spent every round."''<ref>Rolling Thunder: A Century of Tank Warfare, Philip Kaplan, p. 139, Pen and Sword, 2013</ref>In a final act of defiance, no one in what remained of the ''Bologna'' Division raised their hands.

US War correspondent Harry Zinder from ''TIME Magazine'' noted that the Italians fought better than had been expected and had covered the German retreat:{{cquote|

US War correspondent Harry Zinder from ''TIME Magazine'' noted that the Italians fought better than had been reported and had covered the German retreat:{{cquote|

It was a terrific letdown by their German allies. They had fought a good fight. In the south, the famed Folgore parachute division fought to the last round of ammunition. Two armoured divisions and a motorised division, which had been interspersed among the German formations, thought they would be allowed to retire gracefully with Rommel's 21st, 15th and 90 Light. But even that was denied them. When it became obvious to Rommel that there would be little chance to hold anything between El Daba and the frontier, his Panzers dissolved, disintegrated and turned tail, leaving the Italians to fight a rear-guard action. <ref>Battlefronts: A PINT OF WATER PER MAN, Time Magazine, 16 November 1942</ref>}}

It was a terrific letdown by their German allies. They had fought a good fight. In the south, the famed Folgore parachute division fought to the last round of ammunition. Two armoured divisions and a motorised division, which had been interspersed among the German formations, thought they would be allowed to retire gracefully with Rommel's 21st, 15th and 90 Light. But even that was denied them. When it became obvious to Rommel that there would be little chance to hold anything between El Daba and the frontier, his Panzers dissolved, disintegrated and turned tail, leaving the Italians to fight a rear-guard action. <ref>Battlefronts: A PINT OF WATER PER MAN, Time Magazine, 16 November 1942</ref>}}