OBB Axis- Battle of Gazala
Panzerarmee "Afrika" – Rommel
------523. Kusten Artillerie Abteilung (-) (see KG "Menny") – 8 x 155mm sFH414[f] How.
------528. Kusten Artillerie Abteilung – 12 x 155mm sFH414[f] How.
------529. Kusten Artillerie Abteilung – 12 x 155mm sFH414[f] How.
------532. Kusten Artillerie Abteilung – 12 x 155mm sFH414[f] How.
Corpo di Armata XXI
Kampfgruppe Menny
----3./523. Kusten Artillerie Abteilung - (attached) (see Arko 104.) – 4 x 155mm sFH414[f] How.
----533. Kusten Artillerie Abteilung - (attached) – 12 x 155mm sFH414[f] How.
I suppose that's a typo, since sFH 414(f) stands for Schneider modèle 1917 howitzer, while proper desigantions for GPF and GPFT are K 418(f) and K 419(f) respectively. I'm wondering just because the organisational chart of Panzer-Armee Afrika in May 1942 shows this for its artillery:
Harko. 104
- Stab/Art.Rgt.(mot.) 221
-- II.(mot.)/Art.Rgt. 115
--- 4.(mot.)/Art.Rgt. 115 (3x 21cm Mrs.18)
--- 5.(mot.)/Art.Rgt. 115 (3x 21cm Mrs.18)
--- 6.(mot.)/Art.Rgt. 115 (3x 21cm Mrs.18)
--- 1./le.Fla-Btl.(mot.) 612 (12x 2cm Fla.K.)
-- s.Art.Abt.(mot.) 408
--- 1./s.Art.Abt.(mot.) 408 (4x 15cm s.F.H.18)
--- 2./s.Art.Abt.(mot.) 408 (4x 10,5cm s.K.18)
--- 3./s.Art.Abt.(mot.) 408 (4x 10,5cm s.K.18)
-- s.Art.Bttr.(mot.) 902 (3x 17cm K.18 in Mrs.Laf.)
Coastal artillery
H.Kü.Bttr. 363 (4x 7,5cm Geb.G.15)
H.Kü.Bttr. 364 (4x 7,5cm Geb.G.15)
4x Platoons (8x 7,5cm le.F.K.18)
H.Kü.Art.Abt. 523
- 1./ H.Kü.Art.Abt. 523 (6x 15,5cm K.418(f))
- 2./ H.Kü.Art.Abt. 523 (6x 15,5cm K.418(f))
- 3./ H.Kü.Art.Abt. 523 (6x 15,5cm K.418(f))
H.Kü.Art.Abt. 528
- 1./ H.Kü.Art.Abt. 528 (6x 15,5cm K.418(f))
- 2./ H.Kü.Art.Abt. 528 (6x 15,5cm K.418(f))
- 3./ H.Kü.Art.Abt. 528 (6x 15,5cm K.418(f))
H.Kü.Art.Abt. 529
- 1./ H.Kü.Art.Abt. 529 (6x 15,5cm K.418(f))
- 2./ H.Kü.Art.Abt. 529 (6x 15,5cm K.418(f))
- 3./ H.Kü.Art.Abt. 529 (6x 15,5cm K.418(f))
H.Kü.Art.Abt. 533
- 1./ H.Kü.Art.Abt. 533 (6x 15,5cm s.F.H.414(f))
- 2./ H.Kü.Art.Abt. 533 (6x 15,5cm s.F.H.414(f))
- 3./ H.Kü.Art.Abt. 533 (6x 15,5cm s.F.H.414(f))
4./ H.Kü.Art.Abt. 149 (3x 17cm K.18 in Mrs.Laf.)
H.Kü.Bttr. 362 (3x 17cm K.18 in Mrs.Laf.)
Moreover, it is certainly possible that they were used even earlier, in Operation Crusader and siege of Tobruk. According to
this page HKAA 533 had GPFs at least from April 1941 until January 1942, when it was rearmed with Schneiders due to heavy losses. I would assume that happened during Operation Crusader, as next is stated that HKAA 523 was incorporated into 533 after being wiped out in December near Sallum.
Also, there is a
series of pictures of a K419(f) prepared by the Germans in Tobruk in June 1941 (that is the link to the Italian state archive, so I suppose that can be trusted):