The following brief report on German rearguard antitank tactics appeared in Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 22, April 8, 1943. [DISCLAIMER: The following text is taken from the U.S. War Department publication Tactical and Technical Trends. As with all wartime intelligence information, data may be incomplete or inaccurate. No attempt has been made to update or correct the text. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the website.]

GERMAN ANTITANK UNITS IN REARGUARD ACTION IN AFRICA According to reliable reports, the tactical use of antitank weapons by German units operating on rearguard missions, is as follows: First, the 88-mm dual-purpose guns fall back, then the combat engineers, and the antitank guns last. Unless the attack is too overpowering, the antitank units, before withdrawing, stand fast for a length of time designated in orders. If the gun positions are undetected, antitank fire is opened only at the last possible moment, since the German 50-mm guns are not effective against General Grant (U.S. M3) and General Sherman (U.S. M4) tanks at long ranges. If the gun positions are known to the enemy, long-range fire is employed.

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