rommel's reward for his success was to be promoted and appointed commander of the 5th light division (later reorganised and redesignated "21.panzer-division") and of the "15.panzer-division" which, as the "deutsches afrikakorps,"() were sent to libya in early 1941 in operation sonnenblume to aid the italian troops which had suffered a heavy defeat from british commonwealth forces in operation compass. it was in africa where rommel achieved his greatest fame as a commander.