Axis losses

As the Axis air forces were forced to the west, the number of fields from which they could operate was sharply reduced. One effect was to jam too many aircraft onto the remaining fields. That offered good targets, of which Air Vice-Marshal Conyngham took great advantage. At Benina, alone, there were 62 German and two Italian aircraft on the field when the British arrived.

The Axis had a few successes, as 22 tanks arrived on 19 December 1941 at Benghazi for the 8th Panzer Regiment. Another 45 were lost when two Italian cargo ships were sunk on 13 December.

I was interested to read that the 7th Armoured Division had been reduced to the support group by 21 December. The 1st Armoured Division was the latest arrival, and that division replaced the much depleted 7th Armoured Division. This is based on the account in Vol.III of the Official History.