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The Crusader Project

@crusaderproject.bsky.social

2.4K followers 3.8K following 7.5K posts

Long-running research project on the desert war 1940-43, with a specific focus on Operation CRUSADER. www.rommelsriposte.com

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The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · Dec 10

This Bluesky feed serves to disseminate information and new posts related to Operation CRUSADER, the #desertwar in WW2 and #ww2 in general.

If desert #armour warfare, surrendering Germans, and challenges to preconceived ideas about the Italians are your thing, you might want to give us a follow.

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The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 47m

After the sinking of the two large troop transports by HM/Sub Upholder, troop transport was conducted only by air for a few months.

rommelsriposte.com/2023/08/24/t...

The BV222 Wiking in North Africa, 1941

Background The Blohm & Voss 222 Wiking (Viking) was a large flying boat, constructed in very small numbers during the war. Originally planned for commercial long-distance operations, similar to…

rommelsriposte.com

The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 50m

They were most likely SM.82 on the Trapani/Tripoli route. The German rear area command reported the arrival of seven Savoias with 7 officers and 185 men replacements for the Panzerdivisionen that day.

The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 1h

Boris Johnson has entered the chat, and he’s brought Liz Truss, David Cameron and Theresa May with him.

The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 2h

It is to the credit of the crews that knowing what their chances are, they got into the air on an almost daily basis to keep up an offensive that was an integral part of the preparation for Operation CRUSADER. @airpowerhistory.bsky.social @justin-br0nk.bsky.social @airminded.org

Preparing for the air campaign – 13 October 1941

Background Operation CRUSADER is generally supposed to have started on 17 November 1941. This is however not fully correct. While the ground operations commenced on that date air as well as naval o…

rommelsriposte.com

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The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 2h

The Blenheim losses on daylight missions into the teeth of heavy AA became so severe that CAS felt compelled to remind Tedder by the end of October that these losses would have to be accepted.

@rjhammond215.bsky.social @rafhistory.bsky.social @rafhistorical.bsky.social @smoorebofb1940.bsky.social

Workhorse of the Desert Air Force – The Blenheim Mk. IV

Background Many Royal Air Force enthusiasts have a soft sport for the Bristol Blenheim, and regard her quite highly. There is a good bit of nostalgia though, and it is arguable that even by the sta…

rommelsriposte.com

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The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 2h

#OTD in 1941 No 107 Sqn lost two Blenheims, crews KIA, in an attack on a two-ship convoy with a single escort, off the coast of Libya. In the first 11 days of October it lost 5 out of its 16 Blenheims.

A detailed report from both the #RAF and the Italian perspective is here. #navalhistory

A costly Strike– No 107 Squadron 11 October 1941

Background No. 107 Squadron was one of two Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV equipped light bomber squadrons on Malta during the time of Operation CRUSADER. It carried out anti-shipping strikes throughout t…

rommelsriposte.com

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The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 10h

He was arrested but escaped with Indro Montanelli and made it to Switzerland where he saw the end of the war. He died in 1967, 88 years old, with a career that started in the Italian-Turkish war and that ended in the Italian civil war against the Repubblica Di Salò. @vandawilcox.bsky.social

The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 10h

He was nominally retired since July, at 62 years, but his war was to continue. After a break he was assigned to the infantry inspectorate in 1942. At the armistice he remained loyal to the king and became military commander of the Milan resistance in 1944.

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The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 10h

#OTD in 1941 General Bortolo Zambon, GOC Brescia division, relinquished his command. He had fought under Rommel for all of the latter’s battles and led his division during the siege of Tobruk.

@karljames1945.bsky.social @cedricmas.bsky.social @ima-naval-history.bsky.social

D.A.K. War Diary 9 April 1941

9 April 1941 Aerial reconnaissance during the morning 9 April showed: Mechili – Gadd el Ahmar free of enemy, there one of our detachments. 40km east of Gadd el Ahmar retreating enemy column. …

rommelsriposte.com

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Reposted by The Crusader Project

Dan Kaszeta FRHistS @dankaszeta.bsky.social · 20h

Best to not actually pick up any alleged tear gas or smoke grenade or projectile. Too hot. And there’s been a lot of use of flashbangs. The misfire rate on them is not zero. Only a matter of time before some damn fool bleeds out because they lost a hand

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The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 11h

Operating in Blenheims against heavily defended Axis convoys by daylight was a deadly business. Multiple plane losses on a single sortie were regular. Due to the nature of the attacks, high speed, extremely low flying, a Blenheim coming down usually meant the loss of the whole crew.

Sea-Air Battle in the Mediterranean 10 – 13 September 1941

Introduction The summer and autumn of 1941 was primarily spent trying to build up the Axis forces in North Africa to prepare for the assault on Tobruk and the subsequent invasion of Egypt. While th…

rommelsriposte.com

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The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 11h

It was early in what may well have been the hardest tour of the war for No 107 Sqn. At one point, due in no small part to what happened on 9 October, a Flight Sergeant commanded the squadron.

rommelsriposte.com/2012/12/14/a...

A costly Strike– No 107 Squadron 11 October 1941

Background No. 107 Squadron was one of two Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV equipped light bomber squadrons on Malta during the time of Operation CRUSADER. It carried out anti-shipping strikes throughout t…

rommelsriposte.com

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The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 12h

On 9 Oct 1941, No 107 Sqdn lost two crews comprising a Wing Commander, three Flying Officers and three Sergeants when two Blenheims collided off the Sicilian coast. A George Cross recipient Royal Engineer who had come for the ride was also killed.

@rafhistory.bsky.social @rafhistorical.bsky.social

Loss of Wing Commander F.A. Harte and No. 107 Squadron crews, 9 Oct 1941

Background No. 107 Squadron R.AF. operated from Malta through the whole of September to December 1941, suffering extremely high losses in planes and men. A more detailed history of the squadron is …

rommelsriposte.com

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Reposted by The Crusader Project

Dan Kaszeta FRHistS @dankaszeta.bsky.social · 14h

Since many of you cannot read my 2019 piece on tear gas in Nature, I will kindly replicate it for you:

Kaszeta, Dan. "Restrict use of riot-control chemicals." Nature 573.7772 (2019): 27-29.

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The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 14h

Not just academia.

The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 14h

Okay, hadn’t considered that possibility.

The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 14h

An article on the torpedoing of MV Nino Bixio can be found here: rommelsriposte.com/2016/02/21/t...

Torpedoing of M/N Nino Bixio, 17 August 1942

Background While this is not related to CRUSADER, as a public service below is the translation from Aldo Cocchia’s memoir Convogli (Convoys)[1]. Thanks to Lorenzo Colombo for providing the te…

rommelsriposte.com

The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 14h

An article with some more detail on the loss of Allied POWs on Italian merchants can be found here:

The tragedy of the POWs killed at sea

Introduction Operation CRUSADER saw about 8,500 Commonwealth soldiers become prisoners of the Axis forces, in the fighting around Tobruk and during the counter offensive in January. See this older …

rommelsriposte.com

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The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 14h

An article with detail on this incident can be found here:

rommelsriposte.com

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The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 14h

#OTD in 1942 Captain 1st class de Bernadinis was decorated for his actions as 3rd Officer of the Watch of the stricken MV Sebastiano Venier after she had been torpedoed by HM/Sub Porpoise and then beached, with over 2,000 Allied POWs.

#navalhistory

Loss of Sebastiano Venier – Report by Centauro

Introduction On 9 December 1941 MS Sebastiano Venier ran into the Royal Navy Submarine HM/Sub Porpoise. Porpoise struck her, leading to a loss of steering, and probably killing hundreds of embarked…

rommelsriposte.com

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Reposted by The Crusader Project

Dr. M.A. Davis @mikedavis.bsky.social · 15h

Perhaps the most personally admirable Presidential offspring was Theodore Roosevelt "Jr" (actually TR the III, but since his father did not use II or Jr in his name he is usually remembered as Jr) - (1887-1944)

In many ways, his life was much like his father's - a man of business,

Portrait photograph of Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. (1887-1944);

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Reposted by The Crusader Project

Italian Military Archives @ima-naval-history.bsky.social · 15h

Axis secret missions to the far east aimed at retrieving strategic materials for the German war machine. This is the incredible story that involved submarines and crews of the Italian Navy during World War Two, the subject of my latest video www.youtube.com/watch?v=hX5R...
@drachinifel.bsky.social

Axis transport missions to the Far East in WW2

YouTube video by Italian Military Archives_Naval History

www.youtube.com

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Reposted by The Crusader Project

Dr. Jeremy Swist @metalclassicist.bsky.social · Nov 17

Hi Bluesky! I post about Greco-Roman (late) antiquity, heavy metal music, & especially combinations thereof. 🏺🎸

I also post cat pics whenever I visit my parents or partner. 🐈

Lastly, since August I’ve undertaken a challenge to cook a traditional dish from every country in alphabetical order. 🌍🍴

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The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 17h

People must die violently in our protest against the regime for it to have meaning.

Hang on, how about we try something else first where nobody dies and we can poke fun at them?

No, without death the struggle is meaningless!

The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 17h

Academia is broken. Here’s how Hitler’s Aryanisation programme can fix it.