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I didn't know anything of this brave Italy Division "Ariete"!
http://www.axishistory.com/books/111-italy-army/italy-army-divisions/986-132-armored-divison-ariete-italy
Around Tell El Aqqaqir, where the 7th Armored Division, equipped with SHERMAN and GRANT tanks, far superior to the poor M13/40 and M14/41 Italian tanks, with the exception of the handful of 75mm gun-equipped semoventi, broke through the Axis lines, the “ARIETE” performed its last, epic stand.
On 4th November at about 15:30, the few surviving tanks, surrounded and overpowered by by an overwhelmingly superior enemy, proudly and defiantly broadcast their last message:
“Carri armati nemici fatto irruzione sud Divisione “ARIETE”. Con ciò “ARIETE accerchiata, trovasi 5 chilometri Nordovest Bir el Abd. Carri “ARIETE” combattono!”
(“Enemy tanks broke through South of “ARIETE” Division. “ARIETE” thus surrounded, located 5kms northwest of Bir-el-Abd. “ARIETE” tanks keep fighting!”)
“ARIETE” last stand nonetheless achieved the mission to allow the disengagement of the remains of the ACIT (notably all what was left were a few tanks from DAK and severely depleted motorised infantry elements from DAK, 90th German and 101st Italian Division), holding back Commonwealth Armour which had to regroup, refuel and rearm after the engagement, and laager for the night.
On 1st April, 1943, as a tribute to a name that in such a short time had become a synonym of honour and bravery (the Division was the most quoted unit in the Italian War Bulletin), it was ordered its re-constitution as 135th “ARIETE II” Armoured Cavalry Division, made up of cavalry regts.
http://www.axishistory.com/books/111-italy-army/italy-army-divisions/986-132-armored-divison-ariete-italy
Around Tell El Aqqaqir, where the 7th Armored Division, equipped with SHERMAN and GRANT tanks, far superior to the poor M13/40 and M14/41 Italian tanks, with the exception of the handful of 75mm gun-equipped semoventi, broke through the Axis lines, the “ARIETE” performed its last, epic stand.
On 4th November at about 15:30, the few surviving tanks, surrounded and overpowered by by an overwhelmingly superior enemy, proudly and defiantly broadcast their last message:
“Carri armati nemici fatto irruzione sud Divisione “ARIETE”. Con ciò “ARIETE accerchiata, trovasi 5 chilometri Nordovest Bir el Abd. Carri “ARIETE” combattono!”
(“Enemy tanks broke through South of “ARIETE” Division. “ARIETE” thus surrounded, located 5kms northwest of Bir-el-Abd. “ARIETE” tanks keep fighting!”)
“ARIETE” last stand nonetheless achieved the mission to allow the disengagement of the remains of the ACIT (notably all what was left were a few tanks from DAK and severely depleted motorised infantry elements from DAK, 90th German and 101st Italian Division), holding back Commonwealth Armour which had to regroup, refuel and rearm after the engagement, and laager for the night.
On 1st April, 1943, as a tribute to a name that in such a short time had become a synonym of honour and bravery (the Division was the most quoted unit in the Italian War Bulletin), it was ordered its re-constitution as 135th “ARIETE II” Armoured Cavalry Division, made up of cavalry regts.
