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Operations Vulcan and Strike
1943 final battles of Tunisian campaign From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Operation Vulcan (22 April – 1 May 1943) was one of the last ground attacks by the Allied forces of the First Army against the Italian and German forces in Tunis, Cape Bon and Bizerte, the last Axis bridgeheads in North Africa, during the Tunisian campaign of the Second World War.[1]
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Operation Vulcan commenced on 22 April to breach the Axis defences and break out beyond towards Bizerte and Tunis. The attack succeeded in capturing important strategic locations such as Longstop Hill, Point 174 and Hill 609 and forced the Axis to withdraw elsewhere resulting in large areas being abandoned to the Allies. Vulcan did not break out through into the open ground as planned, but it severely weakened the Axis forces, and became the first stage of the final Allied assault in the Tunisian campaign.
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Background
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Allies
Allied forces had landed in French North Africa in July 1942 and since November 1942 the British Eighth Army had pushed Axis forces westwards from Egypt and across Libya, leaving only Tunisia under Axis control. The allied First Army (Kenneth Anderson) despite not having captured Tunis by December 1943 had began to hem in Army Group Africa (Heeresgruppe Afrika/Gruppo d'Armate Africa) by the beginning of the following year. The Eighth Army (General Bernard Montgomery) having won the Western Desert campaign were now aiming to join First Army in Tunisia. They had broken through Axis positions at the Battle of Wadi Akarit by 7 April and combined with the US II Corps attack at the Battle of El Guettar, Axis troops fell back to defensible positions north and west of Enfidaville, 25 mi (40 km) south of Cape Bon. The mountains there descend to the sea, with a narrow passage to Hammamet.
Allied aircraft had been moved forward to the recently captured airfields in Eastern Tunisia by Eighth Army to prevent the aerial supply of Axis troops in North Africa. In Operation Flax the Allied air forces successfully cut off Axis supplies, and gained control of the air.
Following their breakthrough at Wadi Akarit, Eighth Army troops pushed along the coastal plain of Eastern Tunisia and took Sfax on 10 April and Sousse two days later. Patrols met advance guards of U. S. II Corps on the Gabes road and linked up the Allied lines. An attack by the British 6th Armoured and the US 34th Infantry divisions took the Fondouk Pass on the same day, followed by Kairouan.
By April 13, the Allied line faced the Axis who were now concentrated in Northeastern Tunisia from Enfidaville on the Southeast facing the Eighth Army, Pont Du Fahs and Medjez El Bab to Sedjenane facing the First Army.[2] Anderson was able to turn his full attention to the orders he had received from Alexander to prepare the large-scale attack, scheduled for 22 April, to gain Tunis code named Operation Vulcan.
For Vulcan, Alexander shifted his attack from the narrow bottleneck at the south to the broad western side, where British, American, and French troops could maneuver in unison. Three divisions of the Eighth Army were transferred to the First Army while US II Corps had 100,000 men moved 150 miles north, passing through the British First Army to the Beja road which ran to Bizerte.
Axis
Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel believed that the Axis position in Tunisia was untenable and he had recommended the evacuation of all German troops to Italy, where he believed they could be more useful. His advice was rejected by Adolf Hitler. Axis offensives (Operation Frühlingswind and Operation Ochsenkopf) attempted to force back the allies, but only delayed further allied offensives. Eventually allied forces retook all lost ground by early April.
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Prelude
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Operation Oration
To support Operation Vulcan the Eighth Army aimed to tie down as many Axis troops as possible, while the 1st Army was making their attacks. Called Operation Oration, the British objective was to break through the Enfidaville Line. The is meant taking the high ground as well as the tactically important town of Enfidaville. To reinforce the First Army, the 1st Armoured Division was transferred from the Eighth Army on 18 April. Montgomery, unhappy with this move, hoped to breakthrough first and capture Tunis. Facing the Eighth Army was the 1st Army (General Giovanni Messe) a mix of veteran but under strength Italian and German divisions.[3]
On 19 April, X Corps (Brian Horrocks) launched an attack after an artillery bombardment. The 4th Indian Infantry Division (Francis Tuker) and the 2nd New Zealand Division (Bernard Freyburg) advanced into the hills west of Enfidaville to capture Takrouna and Djebel Garci hill respectively.[4] The Italians defending their main defensive line fell back to another defensive line to escape the bombardment. The 50th Northumbrian Division took the town of Enfidaville after severe fighting from the Italian 16th Motorized Division "Pistoia". The New Zealanders meanwhile took the village of Takrouna along with its dominating hill, and the 4th Indian Division took the southern portion of Djebel Garci with many casualties. By the end of the first day it was clear a breakthrough had not been achieved.[5] The northward advance of Eighth Army had "pinched out" US II Corps' eastward facing front line, allowing the corps to be withdrawn and switched to the northern end of the Allied front.
Montgomery allowed the offensive to continue but the next day was dominated by Axis counter-attacks led by Fritz Bayerlein. The 16th "Pistoia" launched several counter attacks towards Enfidaville but were beaten back. Elsewhere Axis attempts to retake the lost ground were repelled with severe losses on both sides. With the advance halted, Montgomery learned that the Axis position in Africa was hopeless through ULTRA intelligence. He ordered Oration to be terminated on 21 April as further casualties were not worth it. Montgomery authorised local minor attacks in order to keep the pressure on Axis forces in front of the Eighth Army while Vulcan was in progress.[6]
Unternehmen Fliederblüte
While the British were preparing for Vulcan, the Germans launched a spoiling attack on the night of 20/21 April 1943. Code named Unternehmen Fliederblüte (Operation Lilac Blossom) they were to strike at V Corps on Djebel Djaffa, also known as Banana Ridge in an attempt to retake it.[7]
The Germans attacked four points simultaneously, including a pass on the north side of Djebel Djaffa.[8] Elements of the 10th Panzer Division supported by Tiger Tanks and infantry from the 1st Hermann Göring Division surprised the British and broke through the positions on the ridge, but fell headlong into British artillery ready for Vulcan. In the ensuing bombardment, with the British firing sometimes over open sights, the Germans suffered severe losses in men and tanks. British troops supported by Churchill tanks counter-attacked and pushed the Germans back and after determined fighting, retook Banana Ridge.[4]
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Operation Vulcan
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British V Corps
The British V Corps began with a preliminary attack on 21 April, aimed at retaking the heights of Djebel el Ahmera, Sidi Ahmed ridge and Djebel Rhar, known collectively as Longstop Hill. The hill had been lost to the Germans four months earlier.[9] The hill was defended by the reinforced 999th Light Afrika Division which was composed of the 962nd Afrika-Schützen-Regiment and the III/754th Grenadier Regiment. Infantry of the 78th (Battleaxe) Division and Churchill Mk III tanks of the North Irish Horse assaulted the position.[10]
Djebel Ahmera was seized on 24 April by the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and the East Surrey Regiment after severe fighting. Later that day an attempt was made by East Surreys and a squadron of tanks, to clear Sidi Ahmed ridge just north of Longstop Hill and that too was captured and held.[11]
The main hill, Djebel Rhar was attacked on 2 April, when the Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) along with Churchill tanks stormed up the hill. With gradients of 1:3 the Churchills managed to creep over the crest of the hill and breached the German defences, much to the surprise of the defenders. The Buffs and Argylls then cleared the German positions - some 650 prisoners were taken during the battle. Longstop was the last great natural barrier barring movement towards Tunis.[12]
Once Longstop had been taken the 24th Guards Brigade launched an attack against Djebels Assoud and Bou Aoukaz on 27 April - two dominating positions approaching Tebourba. Advancing some 2,000 yards through the Gab Gab Gap they took the Irish Guards took Djebel Assoud while the Grenadier Guards took Djebel Bou Aoukaz despite heavy casualties.[13] The Germans counter attacked and managed to regain the left flank of Djebel Bou Aoukaz. The Scots Guards attempted to regain the positions, but eventually the hill became isolated by 29 April due to heavy bombardments and exposure to machine gun and mortar fire. In this time Von Arnim desperate to plug gaps had formed all remaining Armoured units into one force - Kampfgruppe Irkens, commanded by Oberst Josef Irkens.[14]
By May 1 the Irish Guards were finally relieved on Djebel Assoud with only 80 survivors. Up to 700 German dead were counted in front of them. In this action the 24th Guards Brigade won two Victoria Crosses.[13]
The right flank of V Corps attack was made by the 1st Infantry Division and the 4th Infantry Division in the Medjerda valley and Medjez el Bab. 1st Division's objective was Point 174 (Gueriat el Atach), a ridge near Crich-El-Oued and Medjez El Bab.[15]
On 22 April, the attack began with 45 tanks of the 142nd Regiment Royal Armoured Corps and the 2nd Infantry Brigade backed by massed artillery. The 2nd North Staffords, seized the nearby Points 151 and 156, holding both against German counter attacks. The Loyal Regiment then led the assault on Point 174 that was captured in a costly success; while digging in they were ejected by a German counter-attack..[15]
The next day, the 3rd Infantry Brigade with support of Churchill tanks from 48th Royal Tank Regiment and 147 Regiment Royal Armoured Corps launched a new attack. The 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters without tank support, who were late arriving, had managed to capture a position near Point 174 and in an assault finally seized the position.[16] After its capture the following day, the Germans again counter-attacked with tanks including Tigers from the 504th Heavy Panzer Battalion (schwere Panzer-Abteilung 504). The leading platoon was immediately overrun with only PIAT and mortar fire to defend against the Tigers. Churchill tanks and anti tank guns were brought up and the counterattack was repelled with the Germans in retreat, and Point 174 was consolidated. In addition a Tiger tank (Tiger 131) was captured intact, which proved valuable.[17]
By the end of April, it had taken V Corps eight days to penetrate 9.7 km (6 mi) and capture most of the Axis defensive positions. The battle had drawn the Axis reserves of armour south, away from the central front.[18]
British IX and French XIX Corps
On the morning of 22 April, the 46th Division attacked on the IX Corps front, aiming for the hills northeast of Bou Arada held by elements of elite Division Hermann Göring. It was hoped that a gap would be created for the 6th Armoured Division to pass through by nightfall, followed by 1st Armoured Division into the Goubellat plain. After a heavy artillery bombardment the 46th struck and in heavy fighting took its objectives, but took two days to fully clear and thus was not quick enough to forestall the creation of a strong anti-tank screen.
The 6th Armoured Division managed to pierce the German defences but were unable to break out quick enough. The 17/21st Lancers took a key position known as 'Two Tree Hill' taking out the anti tank defences on 23 April. The following day as the tanks moved further on, deep Wadis and broken ground held up the advance, and fierce tank on tank engagements took place over the next two days around Djebel es Srassif. 6th Armoured nevertheless overcame the German armour having lost three Shermans while they had knocked out some fourteen tanks (one Tiger and thirteen MKIII & MKIVs).[19]
Von Arnim realising 6th Armoured's deep advance ordered reinforcements immediately from 1st Italian Army and the 10th Panzer Division as the southern wing of the Hermann Göring division began to buckle. 6th Armoured had penetrated as far west of Pont du Fahs, who along with pressure from the French XIX Corps attacking through the Kebir River valley meant that the Germans were forced to withdraw to shorten their defence line. The French meamwhile had penetrated within sight of Djebel-el-Zaghouan and indented the flanks at Pont-du-Fahs.
By 24 April, 6th Armoured's sweep had ground to halt around Sabkret El Kourzia as Axis reinforcements began to tell. Crocker by this stage had realised that it was too late for a break out attempt. The next day 1st Armoured was switched to 6th Armoured's positions, but the former could make little headway against Djebel Kournine, a well defended hill position. In the centre of the Vulcan, the British and French held on to their objectives despite counter attacks. Both sides suffered heavy losses, but more crippling to Axis - 10th Panzer Division had less than 25 operational tanks left and there were none left for resupply.[20]
On 24 April, the 4th Infantry Division went to attack three features around Peter's Corner, Sidi Abdullah, Cactus Farm and 'Point 133'. Once captured, it was then hoped that 10th and 21st Tank Brigades would storm through beyond the sheltered village of Ksar Tyr.[21] The fighting was costly against German units in well-prepared and dug-in defences. They were opposed by German Fallschirmjager (paratroops) of the elite Division Hermann Göring. At Cactus Farm, the British infantry was faced by extensive defensive fire from well-concealed German paratroopers. Churchill tanks of the 12th Royal Tank Regiment (21st Tank Brigade) advanced without infantry support and the tanks were attacked with Molotov cocktails and sticky Teller anti-tank mines. Twelve tanks were destroyed and in some cases, their crews were rescued by the Germans. On 30 April another attack went in, but the Germans this time had evacuated the farm as the Germans had to shorten their defence line, due to attacks elsewhere. [22]
Seeing that no further progress was likely, Anderson withdrew the 6th Armoured Division and most of the 46th Infantry Division into army reserve.
II US Corps
II US Corps commanded by Major General Omar Bradley attacked on two areas in the North and the South. The Northern attack began on 23 April with the Corps francs d'Afrique, a mixed force of French escapees from Vichy France, Moroccon Tabors, Berber tribesmen, Spanish Loyalists and other political refugees in support. They had been trained and equipped by the British earlier in the year. Avoiding the valleys the Americans took the more strenuous task of attacking along the ridges sometimes with mule trains. Despite heavy casualties the objectives were taken by 25 April and held against counter attacks.[23]
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The 9th Infantry division next to them moved towards Jefna with Djebel Anchouna and the Hills beyond - 432 ('Bald') and 438 ('Green') as their objectives. By 30 April after heaving fighting Djebel Anchouna's crests were taken, and after a heavy artillery bombardment the Germans abandoned Jefna. The Americans then captured 'Green' and 'Bald' Hills which opened up the Jefna-Mataur road and leaving Axis forces hanging on the edge of the Mateur plain.[24]
Meanwhile the Southern attack was directed against Hill 609 (Djebel Tahent) which was the last commanding height on the German defensive line in front of them. It was thus heavily defended and was one of the most difficult objectives in Tunisia due to its steep slopes. The hill was flanked by two others Hill 490 and Hill 531.[25]
On 26 April the attack commenced - 34th Infantry Division was ordered to take the hill backed by II US Corps artillery. After bitter resistance from the German defenders which included a German paratroop unit (Barenthin), the attack stalled over the next two days with severe casualties.[26] Hearing of the failure thus far Anderson requested that hill should be bypassed, but Bradley angrily turned this down. The attack went in again and Hill 490 was won on 28 April, but attempts on Hill 531 and 609 again stalled. German flanking fire made the assault costly. Further attempts resulted in heavy losses and by 29 April, US units had gained Hill 531 but attacks on Hill 609 had again been repelled. By this point US losses were 183 killed, 1,594 wounded and some 676 captured or missing.[27]
On 30 April Bradley desperately wanted the hill seized and this time sent in Sherman tanks. With heavy artillery support, the Americans despite losing a number of tanks reached the hill and drove off the Germans. Having dug in on the plateau, the expected German counter attack came in the next day but the Americans held on to their positions.[26]
Final attacks
On 29 April, a final attempt was made on the Eighth Army front to capture Djebels Srafi and Terhouna in the hope to break out to the Cape Bon peninsula. The inexperienced 169th Infantry Brigade of 56th (London) Infantry Division had only been on the front for 48 hours having just arrived after a 3,300 mi (5,300 km) journey from Syria. The attack on the hills held by the German 90th Light Infantry Division failed with 250 casualties. The result of this convinced Montgomery and Alexander that an Eighth Army attack north from Enfidaville, into strongly-held and difficult terrain, would not succeed.[28]
By 1 May, the seizure of Hill 609 forced the Germans to retreat to a defensive line near the Garaet Achkel salt lake only 20 km (12 mi) from Bizerte.[29] Kef en Nsour was taken on 2 May which overlooked the Mateur plain.[30] Mateur itself was taken and US forces came within thirteen miles of Bizerte, north of Achkel, as the Axis forces moved south on Tunis attempting to find refuge at Cape Bon.
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Aftermath
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The First Army had dented the line but had not broken through and had lost some 252 tanks, a considerable portion of its armour. Nevetheless, Vulcan had severely weakened the Axis forces. The allies were aware of this when Ultra decrypts were received on 30 April which revealed that the Axis forces were at breaking point.
By 1 May, the Germans were down to 69 operational tanks (including four Tigers) in the Tunisian theatre. The counter-attacks had used most of the remaining fuel reserves, further restricting tactical mobility.[31] Vulcan had made less progress than hoped but tactically important positions had been captured. Vulcan along with Operation Flax, played an important part in weakening the Axis frontline.[32]
For the US the capture of Hill 609 was as big relief for Bradley. More importantly it was a much needed American victory providing a springboard for further successes. The British were also impressed with the Americans noting that they had performed better than they had expected. There was also a positive attitude towards the Americans in that they had learned to adapt to Axis as well as British tactics and having learned learned quickly from the debacle of Battle of Kasserine Pass only two months before.[26]
After some changes and movements Operation Strike was planned over the next week after Vulcan's termination. Djebel Bou Aoukaz which had defied V Corps was attacked and captured on 5 May - a prelude as to what was to follow. The following day First Army attacked all along the front after IX Corps leading the assault. After some slow peogress in some areas by May 7 the allies broke through with ease against the depleted Axis forces. Tunis and Bizerte were captured by the British and Americans respectively within a day, and soon Axis forces began to surrender en masse.
By May 13 after scattered resistance Axis forces had fully surrendered including their commanders Von Arnim and Marshal Messe ending the Tunisian, as well as the North African campaign.
Legacy
Tiger 131 which had been captured on 24 April was repaired with parts from other destroyed Tigers. It was displayed in Tunis following the end of the Tunisian campaign and formally inspected there by King George VI and Winston Churchill. The tank was sent to England in October 1943 where it was displayed as a trophy and was subjected to extensive testing and evaluation by the School of Tank Technology at Chobham.
Tiger 131 is now preserved at The Tank Museum in Bovington in Dorset, England, and is currently the only operational Tiger I in the world.[33]
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Operation Strike
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Operation Strike (6–13 May 1943) was the last ground attack by the Allied forces of the First Army against the Italian and German forces in Tunis, Cape Bon and Bizerte, the last Axis bridgeheads in North Africa, during the Tunisian campaign of the Second World War.[1] The offensive was launched only a week after the end of Operation Vulcan, in which the Axis forces had been severely weakened and hemmed in against the coast, but the allies were unable to break out.
Operation Strike was the follow up attack launched on 6 May. This time the Axis line was broken within 24 hours. Allied forces then streamed through and cut off various units. For the Axis, escape was impossible - on the following day Tunis fell to British forces and Bizerte fell to US troops. Axis forces were destroyed piecemeal, with massed surrenders taking place. Some fighting continued until the last Axis forces surrendered on 13 May 1943 bringing the total to around 250,000. Strike ended the North African campaign.
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Background
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By April 13 1943, the Allied line faced the Axis who were now concentrated in Northeastern Tunisia from Enfidaville on the Southeast facing the Eighth Army, Pont Du Fahs and Medjez El Bab to Sedjenane facing the First Army.[2] Anderson was able to turn his full attention to the orders he had received from Alexander to prepare the large-scale attack, scheduled for 22 April, to gain Tunis code named Operation Vulcan.
Operation Vulcan commenced on 22 April to breach the Axis defences and break out beyond towards Bizerte and Tunis. The attack succeeded in capturing important strategic locations such as Longstop Hill, Point 174 and Hill 609 and forced the Axis to withdraw elsewhere resulting in large areas being abandoned to the Allies. Vulcan did not break out through into the open ground as planned, but it severely weakened the Axis forces, and became the first stage of the final Allied assault in the Tunisian campaign.
By April 30, First Army Commander Kenneth Anderson realised that a revision was necessary to achieve the complete destruction of Axis forces in North Africa. The revised final phase of the assault on Tunis was code named Strike and was aimed to be launched on May 6.
For Operation Strike, Lieutenant-General Brian Horrocks was transferred to the First Army to take over British IX Corps after its previous commander, Lieutenant-General John Crocker, was wounded in a training accident. IX Corps was also reinforced with experienced units of the Eighth Army, the 7th Armoured Division (Major-General George Erskine), 4th Indian Division (Francis Tuker) and the 201st Guards Brigade. While the other units of First Army would sweep into the plains facing them, so they could surround the Axis forces, V Corps was to hold the Axis forces against them and would this play a minor role. [34]
Plan
The objectives of Strike was to capture Tunis and Bizerte and to seal off the all of the Cap Bon peninsula. Once achieved this would seal the fate of Axis forces in Tunisia who would ultimately be trapped.
IX Corps was to use its two infantry divisions to break through the Axis defences in front of Massicault. The 4th Infantry Division and the 4th Indian Division were to attack the Axis defences on a narrow front and the 6th Armoured Division and 7th Armoured Division were to "dash through" the gap opened and capture the high ground 6 mi (9.7 km) west of Tunis. For this to succeed Anderson arranged for a large deception - a concentration of around 70 dummy tanks near Bou Arada on the IX Corps' front. This was to draw attention from the arrival of 7th Armoured Division in the Medjez el Bab sector.[35]
As a prelude V Corps (Lieutenant-General Charles Walter Allfrey) was to capture Djebel Bou Aoukaz to protect the left flank. The II US Corps meanwhile was to capture the high ground east and west of Chouigui, the river crossings at Tebourba and Djedeida and finally Bizerta, and French XIX Corps was to take the area the mountainous Djebel Zaghouan area.[36]
Prelude
Preliminary moves were made before Operation Strike began. The Axis withdrawal against US II Corps on 1 May made it easier for the latter to move up the Ferryville road. US forces led by Terry Allen's 1st Division ('Big Red One') were able to occupy the high ground west of the Oud Tina and got as far as Djebel Douimiss which was held in strength by the Barenthin regiment.[37]
To the south of the 1st Division the 34th Division advanced from the Djebel Badjar area on 3 May and encountering very little resistance forced the Germans out of the town of Eddekhila two days later. Further North to the coast, the Corps Franc Afrique had advanced into the hills west of Djebel Chenti and US troops had outflanked Jefna by advancing into the hills. From this position the US II Crops was in a good position to strike for Bizerte and send units south to cooperate with the British in squeezing the 15th Panzer Division out of Tebourba.[38]
Prior to the attack by IX Corps on May 5, Allfrey's V Corps launched an attack on Djebel Bou Aoukaz which had defied them during Operation Vulcan. 600 guns of the Royal Artillery saturated Djebel Bou Aoukaz with high explosive and elements of the 3rd Infantry Brigade stormed the hill. Kampfgruppe Irkens was driven back and the hill was held, the Germans were unable to launch a counter attack due to lack of fuel.[39] The capture of the hill secured the left flank of IX Corps allowing Horrocks to launch his armoured thrust north-eastwards.[40]
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Operation Strike
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The operation began at 3:00 a.m. in the morning of 6 May with troops moving up and artillery concentrations on Axis positions. Four hundred guns were available for the 3,000 yd (2,700 m) front. In two hours over 16,000 shells were fired in support of the 4th Infantry Division.[37]
At first light aerial support was available from the Northwest African Tactical Air Force with some medium bombers of the Northwest African Strategic Air Force. Between bombers, fighter bombers and fighters nearly 2,000 sorties were carried out in 24 hours.[41]
British IX and French XIX Corps
IX Corps attacked as planned but still found some resistance. The 4th Indian and 4th Infantry divisions had made a breach through the German line, the 334th infatry division buckled which let the 6th Armoured move through. Here the Division's tanks struggled through minefields. Churchill tanks of 26th Armoured brigade supporting 4th Infantry reached the town of Furna where Axis anti-tank guns and tanks slowed them too.[40]
By the end of the day IX Corps along with US Corps had pushed back 5th Panzer Army. The dummy tanks, along with other deception tactics, helped achieve a degree of surprise regarding the true size and location of the British armoured force.
In the morning of 7 May, the 6th and 7th Armoured Divisions began to push harder, but this time "met only scattered resistance". The 26th Armoured Brigade was in sight of Tunis by the afternoon. Patrols of the 1st Derbyshire Yeomanry and 11th Hussars reached the centre of Tunis around 4:00 p.m. where there some fighting but by the end of the day the city was secured along with scenes of celebrations. The Germans had destroyed the port facilities at both Tunis and Bizerte the day before. Following the city's capture the 6th Armoured was then ordered to stop Axis defensive positions being formed before the Cape Bon peninsula.[42]
Meanwhile the French XIX Corps had made a push towards Pont du Fahs and elements entered the town on 7 May. Their next objective was to take the high peak of Djebel Zaghouan and drive the Axis forces into the valley below. Division D'Oran and an armoured group moved quickly from the north-east of Pont Du Fahs. The following day resistance stiffened and their advanced was checked by the 10,000 men of Kampfgruppe Pfieffer entrenched around the hills. Further attempts by the French over the following days resulted in failed costly assaults. It was therefore decided to besiege the area - Kampfgruppe Pfeiffer would then be trapped between the French and the advance of British XI corps below.[43]
On the same day Operation Retribution was launched. This was an air and naval blockade designed to prevent the seaborne evacuation of Axis forces from Tunisia to Sicily. Axis forces were now completely isolated in northern Tunisia.
II US Corps
In the II US Corps armour struck in the North and drove towards Djebel Kechabta driving the 15th Panzer Division from Djebel Mansour 4 mi (6.4 km) east of Ferryville. Here the Americans noticed the Germans in full retreat across the Tunis–Bizerte road. The Germans had expended the last of their artillery ammunition. Having advanced from Mateur around Lake Bizerte there was an opportunity to entrap Axis armour on the hills south east of Bizerte. This was achieved when the crossroads were seized east of Mateur. They then moved further towards Protville.[45]
1st Armoured division made a push for Djebel Sidi Mansour which was taken after heavy fighting by 8 May.
As fighting died down US troops entered Bizerte but allowed the Corps francs d'Afrique to make a symbolic entry.[46]
Further North on 6 May, the 1st Infantry division attacked the Djebel Douimiss held by the Barenthin regiment. The 18th and 26th Regimental Combat Teams were held up by minefields and a collapsed bridge. Suffering heavy casualties both RCAs were repelled and after suffering heavy casualties were pulled back in the night. The following day patrols found the hill abandoned, as the Germans had retreated due to attacks elsewhere.
With Bizerte taken US forces cut off the remains of Fifth Panzer Army. By now Axis forces began to lose contact with each other. Major-General Gustav von Vaerst the commander of the Fifth Panzer Army sent a final situation report on the morning of 9 May to Heeresgruppe Afrika - 'Our armour and artillery have been destroyed; without ammunition and fuel; we shall fight to the last'.[47]
Axis surrender
By 9 May the US II Corps had completed the destruction of Fifth Panzer Army - German resistance ceased and troops started surrendering en masse,[48] US forces also cornered von Vaerst who surrendered before noon. At least 12,000 Germans surrendered including the Afrika Corps artillery commander Major-General Fritz Krause who gave himself up to Lieutenant Albert Klein from the US Army Signal Corps.[49]
At nightfall on 11 May, the British 4th Division controlled the peninsula while the 6th Armoured Division held the road from Hammamet to Bou Ficha. Germans prisoners were now also being taken in the thousands, and Royal Engineers were hastily brought up to build makeshift compounds, including one at Grombalia.
In the French XIX corps sector General Boissau's Oran Division had driven North of centre in the Zaghouan mountains where around 22,000 Germans were trapped between the French Corps and First Army in the north and the Eighth Army South. Seeing no way out a large chunk of 21st Panzer Division, Kampfgruppe Pfieffer with some 10,000 men surrendered along with their equipment to the French. Pfieffer himself surrendered to Lieutenant General Maurice Mathenet of the Maroc Division. The rest of the division including the 21st Panzer's commanding officer Oberst Heinrich-Hermann von Hülsen surrendered to the British.
The 334th Division surrendered to the British forces between Mateur and Tebourba on 8 May. Major-General Count Theodor von Sponeck, commander of the 90th Light Division, surrendered unconditionally to the 2nd New Zealand Division. Von Arnim, surrendered four days later to the Royal Sussex Regiment.[50] Around Enfidaville, the remaining 80,000 troops of the Italian 1st Army was still holding the Allied forces.
On 13 May, RAF and artillery continued their bombardment against all remaining Axis forces in Tunisia, with Messe still commanding. 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 only accept 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 unconditionally to Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg and Major General Douglas Graham.[51]
Later that day the First and Eighth Armies met at Bou Ficha, thus completing Operation Strike, and the Tunisian and North African campaign as a whole. It wasn't until 12 June that the last Axis forces had been rounded up when British and Commonwealth forces reported 150,000 Axis POWs taken in their sectors.
A beach near Porto Farina strewn with debris - a German SdKfz 11 half-track gun tractor lays in the water
Abandoned fusalges of Italian Macchi C.202 Folgore aircraft at Tunis
Italian Field Marshal Giovanni Messe surrenders to Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg
Hans-Jürgen von Arnim in captivity leaving for England
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Aftermath
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General Alexander signalled to Winston Churchill,
"Sir it is my duty to report that the Tunisan Campaign is over. All enemy resistance has ceased. We are masters of the North African shore."
For the Axis the defeat in Tunisia was catastrophic, they had committed large numbers of troops most of whom had ended up as POWs. By the close of the operation, nearly 240,000 German and Italian troops had been captured. Only 700 had managed to escape. They had also committed a huge amount of equipment, and the booty taken was considerable - 200 tanks (mostly German) of various sorts, 1,200 guns and some 600 undamaged Axis aircraft, all having to be abandoned for lack of fuel.[52] By far the most catastrophic losses were suffered by the Luftwaffe - they had committed 40 per cent of new aircraft to the Mediterranean - the majority having been lost by May 13. During the final operations the Luftwaffe had lost 273 aircraft; 42 bombers, 166 fighters, 52 transport aircraft, 13 Storch observation aircraft and the Italians recorded the loss of 17 aeroplanes.[53] The Luftwaffe had also lost a large number of highly skilled technicians and mechanics as POWs. The Italian Navy and merchant marine had also likewise suffered, attempting to supply the Tunisian bridgehead and from which it would never really recover.[54]
Such was the scale of defeat that Joseph Goebbels wrote that the end in Tunisia was on the same scale as the defeat in the Battle of Stalingrad; as such many Germans coined the term 'Tunisgrad'.[55]
Of the high ranking Axis generals Messe, Von Arnim and Von Vearst were taken into captivity. Messe was held at Wilton Park Estate in England until September following the Italian Armistice and was made chief of staff of the Italian Co-Belligerent Army by the allies. Von Arnim and Gustav von Vaerst were sent to Britain where they were held and interrogated at Trent Park. Von Arnim would end up at Latimer House where he would be bugged in conservation with fellow high ranking captured German generals. Both Von Vearst and Von Arnim were later sent to the United States to Camp Clinton and were released in 1947.
For the allies the losses were light - during Operations Vulcan and Strike, they had lost 45 bombers and 110 fighters. Of these, the RAF lost 12 bombers and 47 fighters, while the USAAF lost 32 bombers and 63 fighters. The French lost 1 bomber.[53]
On 15 May the Allied 18th Army Group was disbanded, and a Victory March was held in Tunis on May 20. Units of the First and Eighth Armies and representative detachments of British, American and French forces marched past, with bands playing and generals Eisenhower, Alexander and Giraud taking the salute.[56] With North Africa in Allied hands, plans quickly turned to the invasion of Sicily and Italy.
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