Operation Agreement

Part of the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War

Members of the LRDG/SAS Trucks halted at the massive rock outcrop of Gilf Kebir during Operation Agreement.

Date	13–14 September 1942
Location	near Tobruk 32°05′42″N 23°55′55″E / 32.095°N 23.932°E / 32.095; 23.932Coordinates: 32°05′42″N 23°55′55″E / 32.095°N 23.932°E / 32.095; 23.932
Result	Axis victory

Belligerents

United Kingdom

Southern Rhodesia

New Zealand

Italy

Germany

Commanders and leaders

Lt. Col. John Edward Haselden †

Adm. Giuseppe Lombardi

Strength

~650-700 marines and soldiers
1 cruiser
6 destroyers
16 MTBs
3 motor launches
30 landing craft
1 submarine

250-300 Italians, 30 Germans
78 guns (48 Italian and 30 German)
3 torpedo boats
3 R boats
8 MFPs (4 Italian and 4 German)

Casualties and losses

800 killed and 576 captured
1 cruiser
2 destroyers
4 MTBs
2 MLs
Several landing craft

15 Italians and 1 German killed
43 Italians and 7 Germans wounded
30 aircraft

United Kingdom

Operation Agreement comprised a series of ground and amphibious operations carried out by British, Rhodesian and New Zealand forces on Axis-held Tobruk from 13–14 September 1942, during the Second World War. A Special Interrogation Group party, fluent in German, took part in missions behind enemy lines. Supporting attacks extended to Benghazi (Operation Bigamy a.k.a. Snowdrop), Jalo oasis (Operation Nicety a.k.a. Tulip) and Barce (Operation Caravan a.k.a. Hyacinth). Attacking without air cover, the Tobruk raid was a disaster. The British force lost several hundred killed and captured, three warships, seven motor torpedo boats and dozens of small amphibious craft.

The objective of Operation Agreement was to undermine the Axis war effort in North Africa by destroying airfields, harbour facilities, ships, vehicles and large oil stores. The Allies also intended to capture Jalo oasis, which was to be used as a gathering point for the retreating ground forces involved in the other operations.

G1 and T1 patrols of the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) with 50 men, 12 light trucks, 5 jeeps assaulted Barce airfield and the main barracks, destroying 16 aircraft and damaging seven more. In the attack on the barracks the LRDG lost 4 men and 2 vehicles. Later near Zaptié the LRDG force was intercepted by an Italian motorized company with all vehicles damaged or destroyed, with the exception of 2 trucks which were loaded with the most seriously injured, while the others went on foot for 160 km. The Italians took 10 prisoners (7 New Zealanders and 3 Rhodesians), all injured. After a year 4 of the New Zealanders were able to escape.

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Wikipedia