[PzLdr]

In Libya, the Brita are at it again: “The concentration of our troops is proceeding smoothly”.

Considering the Germans and Italians have captured Derna, the DAK has captured the command staff of the British 2d Armored, and driven the rest east, and is about to take the troops encircled at Mechili, that statement is probably true, since the British have increasingly less troops to gather in an increasingly smaller area.

[Larry381]

Of the senior officers who started from Benghazi on April 4, there remained Gambier-Parry who, with what was left of his division, had joined 3rd Indian Brigade at Mechili on April 6, taken command there on April 7, and then found himself encircled by the Germans whose scattered and petrol-starved columns were dribbling up to concentrate at this vital point .

Gambier-Parry's orders were to break out to El Adem on the night of April 7. Twice during that day he had refused a summons to surrender by Rommel. At dawn on April 8 the attempted escape was made and a few sub-units actually got clear, but in the shrinking darkness, and against a mounting volume of Axis fire supporting tank attacks; the sorties withered and stopped and Gambier-Parry joined the others 'in the bag'.

Phase Two was over, but there was barely a pause before Phase Three started. Later that morning a triumphant Rommel had himself photographed in conversation with Gambier-Parry, but at the same time he also welcomed the newly arrived General von Prittwitz, whose XV Panzer Division had yet to reach the front. To him, Rommel entrusted a mixed group based on III Reconnaissance Battalion, and sent it post-haste to seize Tobruk.

Not satisfied with the partial annihilation of Wavell 's Cyrenaican army, his eyes became fixed on its remnants and beyond, deep into Egypt . But before he could go that far Tobruk had to be his - and this Wavell understood just as clearly as did Rommel

Marshall Cavendish-History Of The Second World War-Major K.J. Macksey

[CougarGA7]

...the DAK has captured the command staff of the British 2d Armored

I was wondering how that fits into this smooth concentration of troops that they are talking about.