Post by Jonas Merhoff on Dec 21, 2010 3:30:50 GMT
Country: Tripoli, Libya
Current Time: 12:00. February 14, 1941.
Weather Conditions: Clear sky, with the sun directly overhead. Burning hot and dry.
Tripoli was a beautiful city, a gem buried in the sands of the searing African desert. The main port of Libya, all of the supplies and troops were transported across the Mediterranean Sea by the Italian Navy to the city which was located on a dependable peninsula which protruded out to the sea and formed a natural harbor. The architecture of the city was rather mixed, but it mainly appeared as if it were a Middle Eastern city. To the Hauptmann, it was fascinating how Middle Eastern architecture had spread all across North Africa. But the city had passed through many hands in its long history and had touches of other architectural design. Tripoli was over 2,600 years old, with its founding in the 7th Century B.C. by the Phoenicians. Over the years it had been controlled by the Cyrenaicans, the Carthaginians, the Romans, the Muslims, the Ottomans, the Spanish, the Knights of St. John, the Karamanli, and finally Italy following the Treaty of Lausanne in 1912. Merhoff had done some reading in the time prior to his transfer to North Africa, mainly focused on the actual aspects of desert warfare but also on the history and geography of the area.
Merhoff had always been an avid reader as a boy. He had learned that the city was a crucial seaport, but was also noted for its agriculture and domestic products. A good deal of production in the city focused on an assortment of things like olives, citrus fruit, and tobacco. And of course, one of the most important activities in the city was fishing. The Hauptmann was located in the "Old City", also referred to as Medina. Merhoff believed the headquarters of his division to be located in an old mosque, as he sat in a rather large building inside a tower that extended over the surrounding buildings. The landscape of the city, which Hauptmann gazed at, was dominated by the sight Assaraya al-Hamra, the "Red Castle". The structure had ancient origins, with the speculation being that it was either established by the Phoenicians or the Romans. Its name stemmed from the fact that after the Spanish invasion of 1510, the castle was painted red. However, the castle looked more Ottoman than anything, as the Ottomans had renovated it in the past.
Down below, Merhoff could make out the streets which were designed in a mixture of pre-Roman and Roman street layouts. In the distance, the Hauptmann could make out the Arch of Marcus Aurelius which was created in the 2nd Century in honor Marcus Aurelius who was a prominent Roman figure in North Africa. There were larger, more significant mosques in the area as well like 18th century Karamanli and 19th century Gurgi mosques. Merhoff enjoyed the rich history and the beauty of the city, beauty which he doubted he would see in the whole damned desert. He lingered a few moments longer on the balcony of the tower, gazing out upon the city and into the clear, blue sky. Alone, for the moment, the Hauptmann turned and retreated inside the interior room of the tower where some shelter was provided against the glare of the African sun. Three rather narrow doorways lead out onto a balcony that circled the perimeter of the room; the doors were what allowed sunlight into the room so that it was not pitch black.
Inside the room were an assortment of chairs and tables. The focal point of the room as a circular table located in the center of the room, which was littered with papers, documents, and maps. Against one of the walls there was a small desk, containing some radio equipment, but the chair was empty. Merhoff pulled out a chair from the central table and sat down, awaiting another officer who he intended to meet with. A young Leutnant named Matthaeus Hinrichs. Although he wouldn't be Merhoff's XO, the Hauptmann liked to take an interest in all of his officers. So that he could get to know them: their strengths, weaknesses, capabilities, etc. And so he could keep a stern hand with them, to ensure that he was getting the best of the best. It was going to be different here in Africa, though. Very different. Everything was going to change. Deserts weren't the best places to fight a war.
Merhoff, like most of the other men now a part of the 5th Light Afrika Division, which would later become the 21st Panzer Division, had come from a different division. He had served under Erwin Rommel previously, in the 7th Panzer Division. The 7th Panzer was an elite armored division that had taken part in "Fall Gelb", the Battle of France. They had also been known as the "Ghost Division" due to Rommel's style of leadership, in which he liked to use speed and work independently from his superiors. The same type of man was needed now in North Africa, as the Italians had failed miserably during Operation Compass. The whole of Cyrenaica was now in British hands and they were eager to push to Tunisia.
When Rommel, a man who Merhoff admired dearly, had been promoted and placed in command of the 5th Light and 15th Panzer division, or the Deutsches Afrikakorps, the Hauptmann quickly requested to be transferred into the DAK. It was a request the was obliged by Merhoff's superiors, who were fond of the well-mannered and loyal Hauptmann. Only a week ago, on February 6, had the Afrika Korps departed Naples for Africa aboard the ships of the Italian Navy. They had incurred some light losses during the voyage, their transports crippled by the efforts of the RAF and British submarines. Most of the men and the supplies had made it across though, however it was still an odd assortment of men hastily thrown together in order to hold back the British from capturing the entirety of the Italian holdings in North Africa. But now, he waited for Leutnant Hinrichs. And then, he would wait for the men to begin to move out once more, heading for the front line at Sirt.
Current Time: 12:00. February 14, 1941.
Weather Conditions: Clear sky, with the sun directly overhead. Burning hot and dry.
Tripoli was a beautiful city, a gem buried in the sands of the searing African desert. The main port of Libya, all of the supplies and troops were transported across the Mediterranean Sea by the Italian Navy to the city which was located on a dependable peninsula which protruded out to the sea and formed a natural harbor. The architecture of the city was rather mixed, but it mainly appeared as if it were a Middle Eastern city. To the Hauptmann, it was fascinating how Middle Eastern architecture had spread all across North Africa. But the city had passed through many hands in its long history and had touches of other architectural design. Tripoli was over 2,600 years old, with its founding in the 7th Century B.C. by the Phoenicians. Over the years it had been controlled by the Cyrenaicans, the Carthaginians, the Romans, the Muslims, the Ottomans, the Spanish, the Knights of St. John, the Karamanli, and finally Italy following the Treaty of Lausanne in 1912. Merhoff had done some reading in the time prior to his transfer to North Africa, mainly focused on the actual aspects of desert warfare but also on the history and geography of the area.
Merhoff had always been an avid reader as a boy. He had learned that the city was a crucial seaport, but was also noted for its agriculture and domestic products. A good deal of production in the city focused on an assortment of things like olives, citrus fruit, and tobacco. And of course, one of the most important activities in the city was fishing. The Hauptmann was located in the "Old City", also referred to as Medina. Merhoff believed the headquarters of his division to be located in an old mosque, as he sat in a rather large building inside a tower that extended over the surrounding buildings. The landscape of the city, which Hauptmann gazed at, was dominated by the sight Assaraya al-Hamra, the "Red Castle". The structure had ancient origins, with the speculation being that it was either established by the Phoenicians or the Romans. Its name stemmed from the fact that after the Spanish invasion of 1510, the castle was painted red. However, the castle looked more Ottoman than anything, as the Ottomans had renovated it in the past.
Down below, Merhoff could make out the streets which were designed in a mixture of pre-Roman and Roman street layouts. In the distance, the Hauptmann could make out the Arch of Marcus Aurelius which was created in the 2nd Century in honor Marcus Aurelius who was a prominent Roman figure in North Africa. There were larger, more significant mosques in the area as well like 18th century Karamanli and 19th century Gurgi mosques. Merhoff enjoyed the rich history and the beauty of the city, beauty which he doubted he would see in the whole damned desert. He lingered a few moments longer on the balcony of the tower, gazing out upon the city and into the clear, blue sky. Alone, for the moment, the Hauptmann turned and retreated inside the interior room of the tower where some shelter was provided against the glare of the African sun. Three rather narrow doorways lead out onto a balcony that circled the perimeter of the room; the doors were what allowed sunlight into the room so that it was not pitch black.
Inside the room were an assortment of chairs and tables. The focal point of the room as a circular table located in the center of the room, which was littered with papers, documents, and maps. Against one of the walls there was a small desk, containing some radio equipment, but the chair was empty. Merhoff pulled out a chair from the central table and sat down, awaiting another officer who he intended to meet with. A young Leutnant named Matthaeus Hinrichs. Although he wouldn't be Merhoff's XO, the Hauptmann liked to take an interest in all of his officers. So that he could get to know them: their strengths, weaknesses, capabilities, etc. And so he could keep a stern hand with them, to ensure that he was getting the best of the best. It was going to be different here in Africa, though. Very different. Everything was going to change. Deserts weren't the best places to fight a war.
Merhoff, like most of the other men now a part of the 5th Light Afrika Division, which would later become the 21st Panzer Division, had come from a different division. He had served under Erwin Rommel previously, in the 7th Panzer Division. The 7th Panzer was an elite armored division that had taken part in "Fall Gelb", the Battle of France. They had also been known as the "Ghost Division" due to Rommel's style of leadership, in which he liked to use speed and work independently from his superiors. The same type of man was needed now in North Africa, as the Italians had failed miserably during Operation Compass. The whole of Cyrenaica was now in British hands and they were eager to push to Tunisia.
When Rommel, a man who Merhoff admired dearly, had been promoted and placed in command of the 5th Light and 15th Panzer division, or the Deutsches Afrikakorps, the Hauptmann quickly requested to be transferred into the DAK. It was a request the was obliged by Merhoff's superiors, who were fond of the well-mannered and loyal Hauptmann. Only a week ago, on February 6, had the Afrika Korps departed Naples for Africa aboard the ships of the Italian Navy. They had incurred some light losses during the voyage, their transports crippled by the efforts of the RAF and British submarines. Most of the men and the supplies had made it across though, however it was still an odd assortment of men hastily thrown together in order to hold back the British from capturing the entirety of the Italian holdings in North Africa. But now, he waited for Leutnant Hinrichs. And then, he would wait for the men to begin to move out once more, heading for the front line at Sirt.
