Tobruk Pits

The vast fronts of the North African battlefields were impossible for either side to completely fortify along the entire length. There simply wasn’t the manpower or equipment. Instead they used a series of mutually supporting fortified posts made up of trenches, machinegun and anti-tank gun positions. These were manned by small sections of infantry and could be encircled by anti-tank ditches, minefields and barbed wire.

The Italian fortifications around Bardia and Tobruk were well-planned. Barbed wire, minefields and anti-tank ditches encircled the two towns. Behind the wire were two lines of mutually supporting posts. The front line posts consisted of three concrete lined nests, or Tobruk Pits, each encircled by barbed wire and a shallow ditch.

When the Australians took Tobruk they inherited these fortified posts. The posts’ firepower and obstacles were used to blunt the German attacks. Timely counterattacks from their reserves, and fire from secondary gun lines, were used to deal with breakthroughs.

The Germans developed fortified positions to defend the frontier between Libya and Egypt. A Stützpunkt, or strongpoint, was designed for all-round defense and could hold even if outflanked. It was manned by infantry and anti-tank guns (including 8.8cm FlaK36 guns) and reinforced by artillery. A Stützpunkt would wear down the enemy before counterattacks were launched by panzer troops.

Contents:

two resin gun nests

two 47/32 guns

two sets of Italian crew

two sets of Australian crew

four Ammunition boxes