February 1943

In January, Rommel continued to be pushed back by the British Eighth Army. Despite a defensive line being dug at Buerat, it collapsed on 15th January, with Misurata falling on the 18th, Homs on the 20th, El Aziez on the 21st and Castelverde on the 22nd. Rommel did not form a defensive line at Tripoli, and it was captured by the 11th Hussars in the early hours of 23rd January.

Montgomery ordered a huge victory parade in Tripoli which took place on 3rd February. The capture of Tripoli was so monumental that Winston Churchill flew to Libya to take part in the parade, addressing the men of the Eighth Army with the following speech:

“Let me assure you, soldiers and airmen, that your fellow-countrymen regard your joint work with admiration and gratitude, and that after the war when a man is asked what he did it will be quite sufficient for him to say, ‘I marched and fought with the Desert Army.’ And when history is written and all the facts are known, our feats will gleam and glow and will be a source of song and story long after we who are gathered here have passed away.”

Immediately after the parade on 3rd February, 111 Fd Regt were back on the heels of Rommel , and would soon be pushing over the Libyan border into Tunisia.

1st February 1943 – Tripoli
10:00hrs – Regiment reverted to 30 Corps and moved to Corp artillery concentration area 9km southwest of Tripoli.

3rd February 1943 – Tripoli
12:00hrs – Guns and men lined TRIPOLI – GARIAN Road for Corp Commanders inspection. Under 12 hours notice to join 7th Armoured Division.
15:00hrs – Regiment to join 7th Armoured Division forthwith. C.O. and Adjutant went forward to 131 Brigade HQ. 6 reinforcements arrived.

4th February 1943 – Tripoli
11:00hrs – TRIPOLI – GARIAN Road lined by Regt to cheer Rt Hon Winston Churchill P.M; C.I.G.S General Sir Alan Brooke, Commander in Chief Middle East, Sir H. Alexander and General Montgomery as they passed. The turnout of the Regt after crossing the Libyan desert was very favourably commented on. 21 reinforcements arrived.
13:00hrs – Regiment under command of 131 Brigade and moved 50 miles West of Tripoli.

““One day we had to clean up, marched two miles to the main road and stood three hours lining the road for some individual of importance who was passing through. We were instructed to cheer. It was Churchill, he looked ill. Some cheered, I didn’t, waiting three hours for someone never makes me feel happy. Got back to camp, packed up, into action again.”

Diary entry from February 1943 from Sgt Observer Frederick Sidney Williams, 212 Bty, 111 Fd Regt in his family’s memoirs “Our Fred’s War”.

5th February 1943 – 50 miles west of Tripoli
The pursuit of Rommels remnants taken up upon.
15:00hrs – 212 Bty moved forward to 2 miles southwest of PISIDA and remainder of regiment leaguered 5 miles east of PISIDA for night. The main road was strafed, and dive bombed during the day. 2 O.R’s injured and five guns lightly damaged.

“We were off within two hours up the road through Zuava and leaguered between Zuana and Pisida at Zelan. Next morning we were just having a final check up on things. A quiet brew and smoke, around ten o’clock it was, when suddenly without any warning half a dozen M.E.s (Messerschmitt – German aircraft) streaked down on us, bombed and strafed us. Og, Johnny and myself were in the back of the truck trying to get through small holes in the floorboards, Bill was underneath. The gods smiled on us again. No-one hurt in the battery, we had a bullet through the woodwork and another through the brewcan. A hectic five minutes.

Another recce party went off, including us. Up to Pisida. We turned off the road two hundred yards short of the water tower and picked our positions. We got the guns in, had a sheet fastened on the back of H and used that as command post. Slit trenches priority. The weather for the first day or two was quite fair. We were supporting the 131 Indian Infantry Brigade, not much doing, when we fired it was at maximum ranges. He (the enemy) brought up odd self-propelled guns and airbursted us occasionally. We were waiting reinforcements.

The weather began to break and for four or five days we had heavy downpours. I got soaked once or twice and my right leg began to ache. The pain gradually got worse until I couldn’t bear to put my foot down. 211 were shelled and had one or two killed, we were lucky.”

Diary entry from February 1943 from Sgt Observer Frederick Sidney Williams, 212 Bty, 111 Fd Regt in his family’s memoirs “Our Fred’s War”. ~
Note – Fred was soon sent to hospital after this date and returned to the unit in late June 1943.

6th February 1943 – Pisida
Lieutenant-Colonel Hill assumed command of 111 Field Regiment Group, consisting of 111 Fd Regt, 69 Medium Regt less 1 Bty, 150 Light AA Bty, 231 Light AA Bty less two troops and 2 troops No.1 Composite Bty 4 Surrey Regt for current operation of securing a farm house at PISIDA. Group Operational Orders No. 1 issued. During the day O.P’s pushed forward west of PISIDA to border and came back at night.

6th February 1943 – Pisida

Lieutenant-Colonel Hill assumed command of 111 Field Regiment Group, consisting of 111 Fd Regt, 69 Medium Regt less 1 Bty, 150 Light AA Bty, 231 Light AA Bty less two troops and 2 troops No.1 Composite Bty 4 Surrey Regt for current operation of securing a farm house at PISIDA. Group Operational Orders No. 1 issued. During the day O.P’s pushed forward west of PISIDA to border and came back at night.

7th February 1943 – Pisida
Regimental area shelled by enemy 175mm artillery.

8th February 1943 – Pisida
TAC, 211 Bty and 476 Bty moved forward securing a farm house at PISIDA with 1/5 and 1/6 Queens. Enemy holding strong positions in TUNISIA frontier, and road from PISIDA – Frontier under obs and shellfire. 1 O.R. killed by shellfire.

9th February 1943 – Pisida
Sniping section from 211 Bty went up road and attacked O.P’s and M.G. posts. O.P’s pushed up to frontier.

10th February 1943 – Zuara
16:00hrs – 212 Bty remained at PISIDA and regiment moved back to ZUARA. Operational instruction No.4 issued.

11th February 1943 – El-Assa
07:00hrs – Regt turned east again and went to positions at EL-ASSA forming a base there with 1/5 and 1/6 Queens in support of 121 Brigade. Queens reverting to command of CRA 7 Armoured Division.

12th February 1943 – Zuara
Regt held up while causeway was being built over TUNISIAN border.

13th February 1943 – Zuara
212 Bty moved to EL-ASSA.

14th February 1943 – Zuara
10:00hrs – 476 Bty moved with 1/5 Queens across border to west of BIRSAMEN. During the day remainder of Regt followed and reformed for the night in TUNISIA.

15th February 1943 – Birsamen
A day of following the retreating enemy. The brigade advanced in desert formation with 1/5 Queens and 476 Bty in support leading with O.P’s pushed much forward.
15:00hrs – BENGARDANE was taken and the Regt leaguered for the night.

16th December 1942 – East of Marsa Brega
Regt remained at BENGARDANE all day. Considerable air activity by enemy. 211 Bty position bombed, 15 casualties, 3 evacuated. Lieutenant MacLeod-Carey hit a mine in a jeep and was evacuated with Surrey Rgt. Lieutenant Burton came to RHQ as Survey Officer.

17th February 1943 – Nefatia
Regt marched to NEFATIA under 131 Brigade and formed there a firm base. No opposition on advance.

18th February 1943 – Nefatia
F.D.L’s registered by shooting and revised trace produced.

19th February 1943 – Nefatia
Regt advanced by night to a point east of MEDENINE. Regt in action 04:00hrs 20th February.

20th February 1943 – Medenine
Regt supported advance of 22 Armoured Brigade to outflank MEDENINE. 3 O.P’s out. O.P’s withdrew when Regt was out of range. Regt supported 131 Brigade in forming firm base. 212 Bty sent out a roving section forward in the evening. Captain Nolt wounded by shell fire and evacuated. Considerable enemy air activity on the day.

21st February 1943 – Medenine
Regt remained in position all day except 211 Bty which advanced at first light in support 1/7 Queens to West of MEDENINE. 211 lost one Stuart tank on minefield. Track blown off.

22nd February 1943 – Medenine
Regt advanced to METAMEUR with 211 and 476 Bty covering de-bussing of 77 Queens in the morning. These Btys then moved up with 212 Bty to a Regimental area at METAMEUR. The area was covered with mines which were removed during the day with much Royal Engineer’s assistance. 1.15 CWL was blown up.

23rd February 1943 – Metameur
08:00hrs – SOS and DF tasks were registered by firing live shell.

24th February 1943 – Metameur
07:00hrs – First light visibility poor. Visibility improved later in the morning.
12:00hrs – Received warning order to move.
15:00hrs – Received orders to move and was moving at 16:00hrs.
16:40hrs – Arrived new location E6785

25th February 1943 – Metameur
D.F. Tasks registered Warning order to move received 13:00hrs Moved 15:00hrs to E639889 “A” Troop was heavily shelled after occupation of its position. No casualties. Troop moved to new location during the night. One bombard undertaken.

26th February 1943 – E639889
D.F. tasks registered. Regimental area was intermittently shelled all day. Considerable enemy air activity.
13:00hrs – Divisional target engaged.
15:08hrs – Divisional target engaged.

27th February 1943 – E639889
Reg131 Brigade was relieved by 154 Brigade. Regt consequently had to alter the way it was facing but did not change location. D.F. tasks on new 131 Brigade front registered in evening from sniping positions.

28th February 1943 – E639889
D.F. and S.O.S. tasks for 131 Brigade during the day in form of a trace and task table. Regt HQ was shelled in the afternoon. Lieutenant F. Neary Liaison Officer at RHQ was wounded and evacuated.