The following report on German simulation of tanks in North Africa was originally published in Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 16, Jan. 14, 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.]

SIMULATED TANK ATTACK Several reports have been received in the past which indicate that the Axis forces in the Middle East use many ruses to simulate tank attacks (see Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 12, p. 33). The following report indicates another ingenious method. During the attack on Benghazi in January 1942, German infantry advanced in motor vehicles. These vehicles advanced in line, and had chains fixed between them. These chains trailed along the ground and raised a considerable dust. This gave the impression that a tank attack had been launched. Volkswagen (comparable to U.S. quarter-ton vehicle) and armored cars have also been camouflaged to simulate tanks.

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