Changes

On November 23 1941, the British 70th Infantry Division with 60 supporting tanks overruns part of the defenses of the 25th ''Bologna'' Infantry Division, but the ''Pavia'' counterattacks, restoring the broken lines.<ref>"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.” Generalmajor Major Alfred Toppe (et al), German Experiences in Desert Warfare During World War II, in 2 volumes, Combat Studies Institute/Combined Arms Research Library, 1952</ref>

On November 23 1941, the British 70th Infantry Division with 60 supporting tanks overruns part of the defenses of the 25th ''Bologna'' Infantry Division, but the ''Pavia'' counterattacks, restoring the broken lines.<ref>"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.” Generalmajor Major Alfred Toppe (et al), German Experiences in Desert Warfare During World War II, in 2 volumes, Combat Studies Institute/Combined Arms Research Library, 1952</ref>

On 4 December, the ''Pavia'' and ''Trento'' recapture the British-held ‘Plonk and ‘Doc’ strong-points outside Tobruk.<ref>[http://www.comandosupremo.com/bologna-division.html/5  Italians passed to counter-attack along the whole line]</ref>

On December 4, the ''Pavia'' and ''Trento'' recapture the British-held ‘Plonk and ‘Doc’ strong-points outside Tobruk.<ref>[https://comandosupremo.com/siege-of-tobruk/   Italians passed to counter-attack along the whole line]</ref>

On 5 December, the ''Pavia'' Division from positions at El Adem  covers the German withdrawal from Tobruk, delaying the advance of the 1st Battalion from the ''Durham Light Infantry'' in chaotic night-fighting lasting over three hours.<ref>"The operation proceeded without opposition until the 1/Durham Light Infantry had advanced some 5,000 yards. Here the Pavia Division had established a rearguard position which was tenaciously defended but overcome after midnight by an attack made in conjunction with tanks of the 32nd Army Tank Brigade." Australia in the War of 1939-1945, Volume 3, Barton Maughan, p. 509, Australian War Memorial, 1966</ref>

On December 5, the ''Pavia'' Division from positions at El Adem  covers the German withdrawal from Tobruk, delaying the advance of the 1st Battalion from the ''Durham Light Infantry'' in chaotic night-fighting lasting over three hours.<ref>"The operation proceeded without opposition until the 1/Durham Light Infantry had advanced some 5,000 yards. Here the Pavia Division had established a rearguard position which was tenaciously defended but overcome after midnight by an attack made in conjunction with tanks of the 32nd Army Tank Brigade." Australia in the War of 1939-1945, Volume 3, Barton Maughan, p. 509, Australian War Memorial, 1966</ref>

On 14 December, the Maoris from the New Zealand 22 Battalion encountered stiff resistance from the ''Pavia'' Division that counterattacked twice, before withdrawing. The New Zealanders with the help of strong artillery fire capture 382 soldiers from the ''Pavia'' in the action, but lose 3 killed and 27 wounded in the process.<ref>"At 3 a.m. on 14 December the guns opened a 15-minute concentration and the Maoris closed in with bayonets fixed, meeting mortar, MG and anti-tank fire and using grenades freely to overcome it. In little more than an hour resistance ended and C and D Companies began to dig in just west of the foremost defences, while A Company extended the position on lower ground to the east-north-east. B Company, which had advanced farthest, struck trouble, however, from another enemy position on the escarpment to the west and was twice counter-attacked." The Relief of Tobruk, W. E. Murphy, p. 496, War History Branch, Department of Internal Affairs, 1961</ref>

On December 14, the Maoris from the New Zealand 22nd Battalion encountered stiff resistance from the ''Pavia'' Division that counterattacked them twice, before withdrawing. The New Zealanders with the help of strong artillery fire capture 382 soldiers from the ''Pavia'' in the action, but lose 3 killed and 27 wounded in the process.<ref>"At 3 a.m. on 14 December the guns opened a 15-minute concentration and the Maoris closed in with bayonets fixed, meeting mortar, MG and anti-tank fire and using grenades freely to overcome it. In little more than an hour resistance ended and C and D Companies began to dig in just west of the foremost defences, while A Company extended the position on lower ground to the east-north-east. B Company, which had advanced farthest, struck trouble, however, from another enemy position on the escarpment to the west and was twice counter-attacked." The Relief of Tobruk, W. E. Murphy, p. 496, War History Branch, Department of Internal Affairs, 1961</ref>

On 15 December, the ''Pavia'', ''Brescia'' and ''Trento'' Divisions covering the German withdrawal from the Gazala Line, successfully resist the advance of the 2nd New Zealand Division and supporting Polish Brigade, allowing Italian and German armoured forces to join and deliver a strong counterattack that overruns the 1st Battalion, Royal East Kent Regiment (''The Buffs'').<ref>"The Poles and New Zealanders made good initial progress, taking several hundred Italian prisoners; but the Italians rallied well, and by noon it was clear to General Alfred Godwin-Austen that his two brigades lacked the weight to achieve a breakthrough on the right flank. It was the same story in the centre, where the Italians of ‘Trieste’ continued to repulse 5th Indian Brigade’s attack on Point 208. By mid-afternoon the III Corps attack had been fought to a halt all along the line." Crusader: Eighth Army’s Forgotten Victory, November 1941-January 1942, Richard Humble, p. 187, Leo Cooper, 1987</ref>

On December 15, the ''Pavia'', ''Brescia'' and ''Trento'' Divisions covering the German withdrawal from the Gazala Line, successfully resist the advance of the 2nd New Zealand Division and supporting Polish Brigade, allowing Italian and German armoured forces to join and deliver a strong counterattack that overruns the 1st Battalion, Royal East Kent Regiment (''The Buffs'').<ref>"The Poles and New Zealanders made good initial progress, taking several hundred Italian prisoners; but the Italians rallied well, and by noon it was clear to General Alfred Godwin-Austen that his two brigades lacked the weight to achieve a breakthrough on the right flank. It was the same story in the centre, where the Italians of ‘Trieste’ continued to repulse 5th Indian Brigade’s attack on Point 208. By mid-afternoon the III Corps attack had been fought to a halt all along the line." Crusader: Eighth Army’s Forgotten Victory, November 1941-January 1942, Richard Humble, p. 187, Leo Cooper, 1987</ref>

==Operation Venezia==

==Operation Venezia==