May 1943
At the start of May, the 111 Fd Regt were still in the area around Enfidaville, some 50 miles south of Tunis. The Eighth Army’s advance across North Africa had barely stalled since the Second Battle of El Alamein in Egypt in October 1942, some 1,400 miles east of their current position. Now the end was finally in sight.
| 1st April 1943 – 308366 |
|---|
| 12:10hrs – Quick barrage fired on enemy MG’s and mortar. |
| 15:00hrs – Task table of concentrations commenced which continued during the afternoon to 17:25hrs. Many “STONKS” fired during day resulting in expenditure of 200 rds per gun. |
| 19:15hrs – 212 Bty and RHQ withdrew from the line to rest. |
| 2nd May 1943 – Enfidaville |
|---|
| Main RHQ rejoined Regt in rest area. |
| 3rd May 1943 – Enfidaville |
|---|
| Lieutenant G. G. Owen evacuated (sick) |
| 4th May 1943 – Enfidaville |
|---|
| 10:30hrs – 211 Fd Bty RA returned from HERGIA and joined Regt in rest area. |
| 5th May 1943 – Enfidaville |
|---|
| Training commenced with special attention to signallers and layers. |
| 6-7th May 1943 – Enfidaville |
|---|
| Training continued in rest area. |
| 8th May 1943 – Enfidaville |
|---|
| Tunis and Bizerte taken by 1st Army II USA Corps. |
| 9th May 1943 – Enfidaville |
|---|
| 15:30hrs – Regt moved back to old position and continued firing concentrations. |
| 10th May 1943 – Enfidaville |
|---|
| Daily average of 4,000 rounds fired. Expenditure accelerated in afternoon owing to 10 Corps message that Bosch would surrender when his ammunition was finished. |
| 11th May 1943 – Enfidaville |
|---|
| Continuous firing chiefly hostile battery fire and multiple mortars. |
| 12th May 1943 – Enfidaville |
|---|
| 10:30hrs – 155mm mortar from rocket battery hit officers truck. Lieutenant-Colonel W. R. Hobbs MBE RA and 2/Lt D. W. G. Cassell RA (R.S.O) killed. Many Regimental records destroyed. Total 4 vehicles brewed up. |
| 14:30hrs – Regt withdrew to South of Enfidaville, the campaign being virtually over. |
Axis Surrender in North Africa
On 13th May, all remaining Axis forces in Tunisia, under the command of Marshal Giovanni Messe, surrendered unconditionally. Messe had, with Mussolini’s approval, tried to negotiate an “honourable surrender” the previous day, but this had been rejected.
Earlier in the morning he was promoted to the rank of field marshal but the Allies would not accept anything but an unconditional surrender and threatened to resume their attacks, which had been halted the day before.
At 12:20 hours Messe gave the orders. He and the remaining German commander, Kurt von Liebenstein, surrendered late in the day. By the close of the operation, nearly 240,000 German and Italian troops had been captured.
| 13th-14th May 1943 – South of Enfidaville |
|---|
| Resting. Major C. H. A. Barnes RA (Second-in-Command) assumed command and rank of Lieutenant Colonel. |
| 15th-20th May 1943 – South of Enfidaville |
|---|
| Organised trips to TUNIS. Resting. |
| 21st May 1943 – South of Enfidaville |
|---|
| 06:00hrs – Regiment came under command of 5 AGRA. Moved 10 miles to SI BOU ALI. Formal speech to Officers and N.C.O’s by Brigadier R. Harvey 8 Armoured Brigade 5 HQ AGRA. Movement Order No.1 received. |
| 22nd May 1943 – South of Enfidaville |
|---|
| Regt moved to 30 Corps Arty concentration area 9158 25km North of SFAX via MONASTIR and MAHDIA. |
| 23rd – 25th May 1943 – North of Sfax |
|---|
| General re-organisation. Signallers Cadre classes started. Junior N.C.O’s Cadre. Bty signallers, specialists and gunners training programmes. |
| 26th May 1943 – North of Sfax |
|---|
| Rest camp instituted MAHDIA area. 212 Bty and 50% RHQ moved to MAHDIA for 5 days leave. Captain A. J. Nott RA (212 Bty) and Lieutenant A. G. A. Owen (211 Bty) rejoined from 155 Transit Camp. |
| 27th – 29th May 1943 – North of Sfax |
|---|
| Regimental and battery training programme. |
| 30th May 1943 – North of Sfax |
|---|
| 212 Bty and 50% of RHQ returned from leave camp at MAHDIA. 211 Bty moved to MAHDIA on leave. Training continued. |
| 31st May 1943 – North of Sfax |
|---|
| Training continued. |