TEXT: Operation Battleaxe British Escarpment Force            June 15, 1941 
  By Greg Moore 
  gregpanzerblitz.com 
  June, 2009 
  4th 
  Battalion 
  Royal Tank 
  Regiment 
  (-) 
  7th 
  Battalion 
  Royal Tank 
  Regiment 
  x 4 
  19 Matildas 
  detached to 
  Coast Force 
  Group. 
  4th 
  Armored 
  Brigade 
  Group 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 9 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 3 
  x 3 
  2nd Battalion, 
  Royal Rifle 
  Brigade 
  (1 company) 
  A 
  Squadron 
  3rd 
  Hussars 
  x 4 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  12th Field 
  Company 
  Royal Indian 
  Engineers 
  (1 section) 
  x 2 
  x 2 
  31st 
  Field 
  Artillery 
  Regiment 
  (-) 
  22nd 
  Guards 
  Brigade 
  Group 
  x 1 
  3rd 
  Coldstream 
  Guards 
  Infantry 
  Battalion 
  x 12 
  x 2 
  65th 
  Anti-Tank 
  Regiment 
  (-) 
  x 5 
  x 5 
  9th 
  Australian 
  Light 
  Anti-Aircraft 
  Battery 
  x 3 
  x 3 
  x 14 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  2nd 
  Scotts 
  Guards 
  Infantry 
  Battalion 
  x 12 
  x 2 
  x 14 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  1st 
  Royal 
  Buffs 
  Infantry 
  Battalion 
  x 12 
  x 2 
  x 14 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  12th Field 
  Company 
  Royal Indian 
  Engineers 
  (1 section) 
  x 1 
  x 3 
  x 3 
  Prince Albert 
  Victor’s Own 
  Cavalry Regt. 
  (1 squadron) 
  
  6th Field 
  Regiment 
  Royal 
  Artillery 
  x 3 
  x 3 
  Artillery 
  Group 
  212th 
  Medium 
  Artillery 
  (1 Battery) 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  x 1 
  4th Light 
  Anti-Aircraft 
  Regiment 
  (1 battery) 
  65th 
  Anti-Tank 
  Regiment 
  (1 battery) 
  x 3 
  x 3 
          The job of the Escarpment Group in the early phase of Operation Battleaxe was to drive south of 
  Halfaya pass and capture the strongpoints of Fort Capuzzo, Musaid and Sollum.  The 7th RTR reached 
  Fort Capuzzo by noon of the first day and, as in Operation Brevity, the Italians were once again forced 
  to give up the fort.  That night, the Scotts Guards also pushed forward and captured an outpost at 
  Musaid. On the second day, the reinforced British with dug-in Matildas and 25 pdrs defeated a heavy 
  armored counterassault by the 15th Panzer designed to retake the Fort Capuzzo.  Also that day, the 
  Scotts Guards again pushed forward and captured the barracks at Sollum. On the second day, the tanks 
  of the 4th Brigade were ordered to reinforce the 7th Armored Brigade for an anticipated battle against 
  the 5th Panzer Battalion but the rendezvous never occurred and the 4th Brigade ended the battle as a rear 
  guard for escaping troops of the 22nd Brigade.  Unfortunately, on the third day, a lack of progress by the 
  other two thrusts and the threat of encirclement by tanks from the German 5th light Division had caused 
  the offensive to be cancelled and a general retreat had been ordered.  The successes of the Escarpment 
  Group had been for naught. 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Panzer Leader & Panzer Blitz/1940-1943 North Africa/Operation Battleaxe/EscarpmentBattleaxe.pdf