Kournine

Discussion in 'North Africa & the Med' started by Ramiles, Jan 24, 2023.

  1. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Kournine

    Editing in Progress ;-)

    Screenshot_20230124-154038_Samsung Internet.jpg

    Screenshot_20230124-144539_Maps.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2023
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  2. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

  3. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Events

    7th April 1943

    THE BRITISH ARMY IN TUNISIA 1943
    NA1809 : Sherman tanks of the Queen's Bays (2nd Dragoon Guards) advance through the Gabes Gap, 7 April 1943.

    BATTLE OF THE GABES GAP
    NA1810 : Object description - Original wartime caption: Tanks of the Queen's Bays moving through the Gabes Gap

    BATTLE OF THE GABES GAP
    NA1811 : Original wartime caption: Tanks of the 9th Lancers passing along a road which was blown up by the enemy. Our Sappers are busy repairing it as the tanks tumble past.


    THE BRITISH ARMY IN TUNISIA 1943
    NA1812 : Sherman tanks of the 9th Lancers advance through the Gabes Gap, Tunisia, 7 April 1943.

    BATTLE OF THE GABES GAP
    NA1875 : Original wartime caption: Armoured vehicles moving through the Gabes Gap.


    18th April 1943



    19th April 1943

    GENERAL ANDERSON GOC FIRST ARMY VISIT ARMOURED UNITS IN HIS COMMAND AT 46 DIVISIONAL HQ
    NA2200 : Original wartime caption: Brigadier Harding (left) and Colonel Preston.

    20th April 1943

    Tunisia20Aprto13May1943.jpg

    TUNISIA FRONT - 8TH ARMY AT ENFIDAVILLE
    NA2225 : Entering the 'danger zone' on the Enfidaville road, Sergeant Brailey of the 8th Army is scanning the hills for sign of the enemy.


    21st April 1943

    TUNISIA--18 Army Group: Completes preparations for main VULCAN assault. U.S. 34th Div, having trained vigorously in vicinity of Fondouk and Maktar, begins night marches, 21-22, to new zone of U.S. II Corps.
    In Br First Army area, enemy counterattack in Medjez el Bab-Goubellat area ends in costly failure. This action delays by a few hours jump-off of 46th Div, 9 Corps, on 22d.
    Br Eighth Army concludes offensive operations in Tunisia. 10 Corps is so bitterly opposed at Takrouna that Gen Montgomery decides late in day to confine offensive to coastal region. Army subsequently regroups while holding current positions; offensive is never renewed.


    9th Lancers: Regimental-Histories_1936-1945 Bright_0196.jpg - The Royal Lancers Museum at Derby

    20230124_155758.jpg

    22nd April 1943

    TUNISIA--18 Army Group: Br First Army begins final phase of Tunisia Campaign. 5 Corps, making main effort astride the Medjerda, attacks enemy positions N and S of Medjez el Bab. 78th Div attacks to seize rest of Djebel Tanngouche on left; on right begins northeastward drive along Djebel el Ahmera (Longstop) ridge. To S, 1st and 4th Divs attack astride Medjez el Bab-Tunis highway, 1st Div clearing hamlet of Grich el Oued and 4th Div, Goubellat. 9 Corps attacks on Goubellat plain, between Medjez el Bab and Bou Arada, in effort to destroy enemy's armored reserve and support 5 Corps to N. 46th Div advances steadily in region N of Sebkret el Kourzia but is hampered SW of these salt marshes by enemy defenses and mines. 6th Armd Div is committed in late afternoon and upon attacking through infantry is strongly opposed by enemy armor.

    Regimental-Histories_1936-1945 Bright_0196.jpg - The Royal Lancers Museum at Derby

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    GENERAL ALEXANDER DEPUTY C-IN-C PF THE NORTH AFRICAN FORCES VISITS GENERAL KEIGHTLEY, COMMANDER OF THE 6TH ARMOURED DIVISION (1ST ARMY)
    NA2250 : Original wartime caption: General Alexander and Major-General Keightley drive away together for conference.

    TUNISIA: BRITISH ATTACK ON THE GOUBELLAT PLAINS

    NA2357 : On 22 April 1943 there was an all-British attack on the Goubellat Plain. A large force of tanks, supported by several hundred field guns, were used in the action. This image shows a general view from the hills overlooking the plains, showing Sherman tanks moving in to the attack.

    BRITISH ATTACK ON THE GOUBELLAT PLAINS
    NA2358 : Original wartime caption: German Light Anti-tank gun on two-wheeled mounting left behind by the enemy during our attack.


    BRITISH ATTACK ON THE GOUBELLAT PLAINS
    NA2359 : Object description - A Sherman tank crossing a wadi, 22 April 1943.

    BRITISH ATTACK ON THE GOUBELLAT PLAINS
    NA2360 : Original wartime caption: Sherman tanks passing through a Wadi where the Royal Engineers, working with bulldozers, made a wide cutting, an operation on which the action depended.

    THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORTH AFRICA, SICILY, ITALY, THE BALKANS AND AUSTRIA 1942-1946 NA2361 : Original wartime caption: Signalmen E.T. Munn operating a ten-line universal telephone set at First Army HQ.

    23rd April 1943

    HyperWar: CHRONOLOGY 1941-1945

    Has : TUNISIA--18 Army Group: U.S. II Corps begins drive on Bizerte early in morning, making main effort on right. On N flank, 9th Div, reinf by Corps Franc d'Afrique, which is disposed along coast on extreme N and directed on Kef en Nsour, attacks toward Jefna position on highway between Djebel Abiod and Mateur, key points of which are Djebel Azag (Green Hill) and Djebel Ajred (Bald Hill). While RCT 47 conducts holding action along highway, RCT's 39 and 60 make outflanking attacks in hills to N, RCT 39 attacking toward Djebel Aïnchouna and RCT 60, farther N, pushing eastward from Djebels Mergueb and Msid. Satisfactory progress is made on div flanks, but RCT 39 is slowed in center by stubborn opposition on Djebel Aïnchouna. On S flank of II Corps, 1st Div, reinf by 6th Armd Inf of 1st Armd Div, which is disposed on extreme S, attacks toward Djebel Sidi Meftah. On N, RCT 26 attempts to take Hill 575 (Kef el Goraa) but is halted short of it. In center, RCT 16 fights indecisively for Hill 400. On S, RCT 18 begins clearing N side of the Tine, and attached 6th Armd Inf is similarly employed S of the river; enemy is driven from Hill 490 but retains Hill 407, to NW.
    In Br First Army area, 5 Corps' 78th Div clears enemy remnants from Djebel Tanngouche and continues along Djebel el Ahmera ridge, clearing all but NE slopes. In 9 Corps area, tank battles continue on Goubellat plain, where enemy is bringing mobile reserves forward.
    U.K.--CCS issue directive for establishment of an Anglo-American staff to plan for invasion of western Europe. Lt Gen Sir Frederick E. Morgan, as Chief of Staff to the Supreme Allied Commander (designate), is to head the new headquarters. The initial letters of his title, COSSAC, come to stand for his office.

    Regimental-Histories_1936-1945 Bright_0196.jpg - The Royal Lancers Museum at Derby

    Screenshot_20230124-161548_Samsung Internet.jpg


    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2621071/ernest-kretzer/

    WITH THE FIRST ARMY (VARIOUS)
    NA2300 : Original wartime caption: A column of prisoners trudge wearily through the battered streets of Medjez-el-Bab on their way to the prison cages.


    24th April 1943

    TUNISIA--18 Army Group: In U.S. II Corps area, 9th Div continues to press toward Jefna position. On N, RCT 60 takes Djebel Dardyss. RCT 39, in center, suffers heavy casualties as it battles determined enemy on Djebel Aïnchouna. 1st Div places softening fire on Hill 575 (Kef el Goraa) throughout day and to right, in sector of RCT 16, secures hill positions and thus removes threat of envelopment. RCT 18 seizes Hill 407 while 6th Armd Inf fights vigorously for Hill 388. Germans begin withdrawal from 1st Div front during night 24-25. At the same time RCT 168, 34th Div, takes over N flank positions of 1st Div.
    In Br First Army's 5 Corps area, 78th Div continues to clear Djebel el Ahmera while 1st and 4th Divs press eastward astride Medjez el Bab-Tunis highway. In 9 Corps area, indecisive tank and infantry battles continue on Goubellat plain. Little progress is made, although 1st Armd Div is committed and follows 6th Armd Div E.

    Regimental-Histories_1936-1945 Bright_0196.jpg - The Royal Lancers Museum at Derby

    20230124_161927.jpg


    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2104931/raymond-cyril-clarke/

    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2196301/ralph-henry-gooding/

    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2620672/alan-james-grant/

    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2621359/thomas-monks/

    FIRST ARMY : ACTION EAST OF CRICH EL OUED
    NA2275 : Original wartime caption: German prisoners undergoing preliminary interrogration.


    25th April 1943

    TUNISIA--18 Army Group: In U.S. II Corps area, RCT 39 of 9th Div finishes clearing Djebel Aïnchouna. Enemy begins withdrawal from 9th Div zone night 25-26. RCT 168, 34th Div, moves forward in conjunction with 1st Div units to right, taking over mopping-up operations. 1st Div follows up enemy withdrawal on S flank of corps. RCT 26 occupies Hill 575 early in day and presses on to Djebel Touta. Advance elements of RCT 18 reach W end of Djebel Sidi Meftah. 6th Armd Inf takes previously contested hills on S side of Tine R and patrols eastward.
    In Br First Army's 5 Corps area, Heïdous falls to 78th Div. 9 Corps continues tank battles in vicinity of Sebkret el Kourzia without appreciable success within its own zone, but forcing enemy to withdraw exposed salient to right. Fr 19th Corps makes substantial progress as enemy withdraws salient S of Bou Arada-Pont-du-Fahs road.

    Regimental-Histories_1936-1945 Bright_0198.jpg - The Royal Lancers Museum at Derby

    20230124_164734.jpg

    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2196776/sydney-mirfin/

    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2812998/wilfred-robert-pinkney/

    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2196928/martin-quinn/

    26th April 1943

    TUNISIA--18 Army Group: On U.S. II Corps' 9th Div front, RCT 60 swings NE toward Kef en Nsour, previous objective of Corps Franc d'Afrique, rather than SE toward Jefna position as planned, since French are unable to advance in region N of Djebel Dardyss. RCT 39, now solely responsible for outflanking the Jefna position, takes Hill 513, SE of Djebel Aïnchouna. Continuing holding action along highway, RCT 47 finds enemy disposed in force on Hill 598, SW of Djebel Aired. 34th Div takes over zone in Djebel Grembil-Hill 575 region, between 9th and 1st Divs, and prepares for drive on Hill 609 (Djebel Tahent). Enemy positions on hills in this area are being softened by arty fire. On S flank, 1st Div gains its initial objectives, permitting 1st Armd Div to take over Tine valley zone at 2200 in preparation for armored drive through enemy's second line of defense to Mateur.
    In Br First Army's 5 Corps area, 78th Div finishes clearing Djebel el Ahmera. 1st Div reaches Djebel Bou Aoukaz, 4 miles from Djebel el Ahmera. On main road to Tunis, 4th Div reaches positions 7 miles E of Medjez el Bab. 9 Corps is now opposed on Goubellat plain by 3 enemy armd divs that contain further efforts to advance. 6th Armd Div is withdrawn into reserve. Fr 19th Corps continues to pursue enemy northward toward Pont-du-Fahs, reaching Djebel Fkirine.

    Regimental-Histories_1936-1945 Bright_0198.jpg - The Royal Lancers Museum at Derby


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    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2196124/dennis-trevor-dawson/

    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2541971/william-charles-gray/

    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2542067/christopher-hartley-hayman/


    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2196658/james-lowrie/

    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2632712/john-cochrane-nelson/

    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2633067/john-smith/

    https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205517475
    NA2375 : Original wartime caption: The Hon. F. Jones, New Zealand Defence Minister, with Air Marshal Cunningham, who is also a New Zealander, at General Alexander's HQ.


    27th April 1943

    TUNISIA--18 Army Group: U.S. II Corps continues offensive with 4 divs in assault, its major objective now being the Jefna position, Hill 609 (Djebel Tahent), and Mateur. Column of 39th Inf, 9th Div, reaches Hill 382, NW of Djebel Azag, where it is stalled for 4 days by firmly entrenched enemy. 34th Div begins drive on Hill 609: RCT 168, on N, reaches slopes of Djebel el Hara; RCT 135, to right, drives to Hill 490, just W of 609, but is forced to withdraw. 1st Div patrols reach Djebel el Ang. 1st Armd Div begins attack on S flank of corps, CCA (6th Armd Inf, reinf) making main effort. Attack fails to gain immediate objectives--Hills 299 and 315, NE of Djebel el Ang--and elements are forced back from Hill 312, from which attack on Hill 315 was made.
    In Br First Army area, 5 Corps' advance is checked by series of determined enemy counterattacks. 4th Div is forced to withdraw its left flank at Ksar Tyr.


    https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205517478
    NA2378 : Original wartime caption: General view of a gun site with 3.7s in action.


    28th April 1943

    TUNISIA--18 Army Group: In U.S. II Corps area, 9th Div continues E astride the Sedjenane, reaching Kraim Lerhmed on N and Kef Saban on S. RCT 39 clears hills generally N of Hill 382, but enemy retains 382. In center of II Corps area, main effort is made to clear approaches to Hill 609, which is hampering forward movement of 34th and 1st Divs. While 34th Div's RCT 168 clears Djebel el Hara, RCT 135 occupies Hill 490 and withstands counterattacks against it. In conjunction with 34th Div, RCT 16 of 1st Div secures foothold on Hill 531, S of 609. RCT 26 reaches Djebel el Anz against strong resistance. RCT 18, to S, clears part of Djebel Sidi Meftah. On corps S flank, CCA of 1st Armd Div takes Hill 315 and part of Hill 299, where enemy is resisting strongly.
    In Br First Army area, 5 Corps is largely successful in containing enemy counterattacks along its front.

    https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205517496
    NA2400 : Original wartime caption: Brigade-Major Kirshaw 26th Armoured Brigade HQ mounting his tank.

    https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205517509
    NA2414 : Original wartime caption: "Thirsty Weather". Reinforcements arriving at that front, crowd eagerly around the "Water Wagon" to wash down the dust before going into action (50th Btt. Hampshire Regiment).

    https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205517510
    NA2415 : Original wartime caption: Perched at a dangerous angle on the banks of a river, a Crusader tank being 'rescued' to be used in another battle.

    20230124_195232.jpg

    https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205517511
    NA2416 : Original wartime caption: A tough recovery job. Clearing the tracks of a Sherman tank.

    https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205517512
    NA2417 : Original wartime caption: Digging a track to assist in getting a tank on an even keel. This picture is a good illustration of the rough country our tanks are working in.

    https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205517513
    NA2418 : Original wartime caption: Fixing ground anchors to hold the recovery vehicle when a tank is being hauled out of a difficult lie.

    https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205517514
    NA2419 : Original wartime caption: Member of the recovery crew cutting the track of a tank.

    https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205517515
    NA2420 : Original wartime caption: Recovered at last. Sherman tank back on the road thanks to the recovery boys it will soon be going back into Battle.

    29th April 1943

    TUNISIA--18 Army Group: Gen Alexander decides to reinforce Br First Army for final push to clear rest of Tunisia.
    In U.S. II Corps area, RCT 60 of 9th Div reaches Djebel Hazemat, N of Sedjenane R; pushes closer to Kef en Nsour, S of river. RCT 39 continues outflanking action toward Jefna on N while RCT 47 patrols actively toward Djebels Azag and Aired, reaching W slope of Azag. 34th Div makes limited progress against Hill 609, getting elements on S slopes. RCT 16 of 1st Div begins attack on Hill 523, strongpoint E of Hill 609, but makes little headway. Rest of 1st Div front is relatively quiet as positions on Djebel el Anz and Djebel Sidi Meftah are consolidated. CCA, 1st Armd Div, continues to clear Hill 299 against determined opposition.


    30th April 1943

    TUNISIA--18 Army Group: Gen Alexander calls on Br Eighth Army to supply reinforcements for Br First Army in preparation for final assault. Gen Montgomery agrees to release 7th Armd Div, Ind 4th Div, and 201st Gds Brig, all veteran units. U.S. II Corps makes substantial gains: On N, RCT 60 of 9th Div takes Djebel Guermach, a short distance from Kef en Nsour; RCT 39 seizes the strongly contested Hill 382 and other heights N of the Jefna position. 34th Div drives to summit of Hill 609 in tank-supported assault but is subjected to intense fire there. RCT 16, 1st Div, takes 2 hills E of Hill 609 but loses both to persistent counterattacks; 1st Armd Div provides tank assistance in the area. On S flank, 1st Armd Div retains Hill 299 under enemy fire, but the hill is not yet entirely free of enemy.

    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2104675/herbert-george-berryman/

    1st May 1943

    TUNISIA--18 Army Group: Begins regrouping for final offensive. In U.S. II Corps area, enemy finds positions facing corps untenable and begins withdrawal, night 1-2. 9th Div suspends offensive on N flank of corps. In center, Germans make vain efforts to regain Hill 609. On S, enemy remnants are cleared from Hill 299, and 1st Armd Div is ready for drive on Mateur.
    In Br First Army area, Fr 19th Corps reorganizes for final push with 3 divs: from left to right, Algerian, Moroccan, and Oran.

    5th May 1943

    Events in Tunis : https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060034958


    6th May 1943

    https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205517594
    NA2500 : Original wartime caption: The Commander-in-Chief passing through the ranks during his inspection of the paratroops.

    7th May 1943

    https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205517674
    NA2590 : Original wartime caption: Four kilos to go for Tunis and another column of prisoners are encountered walking away from Tunis.

    13th May 1943

    On 13 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.
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2023
  4. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    North Africa - from around 5mins...



    North Africa - from around 9mins...



     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2023
  5. Uncle Jack

    Uncle Jack Member

    Which Bn of Guards attacked on 29 April 1943?

    R L Crimp in his "Diary of a Desert Rat" records the attack and the death of a sword wielding Sgt 'Brandisham'. However there is no CWGC entry for this name .. also checking other deaths the names he states do not appear in CWGC ... so suspect he has changed the names..

    Also he does not state which unit he belonged to ... frustrating as the diary is a rich description of an infantry mans war from arriving in Suez on 23 July 1942 to the fall of Tunis.

    Robin
     
  6. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    You can search by a variety of methods...

    ...such as specifying a date of death, the country that they died in etc. and there are relatively few that occur...

    Search Results | CWGC

    Search Results | CWGC

    If there's noting that seems to match, the criteria can be expanded somewhat, but this perhaps makes it increasingly difficult as the search gets further away from whatever few "facts" are presumably there to be drawn from...

    There's a lot to look through here...

    Search Results | CWGC

    But it might not take more than 5mins browsing...
     
  7. Uncle Jack

    Uncle Jack Member


    I know .... been at this type of search for decade or more..
    Found that some 470 deaths in Tunisia are recorded around the date. But his name does not come up nor in a wider search


    Hoping that the story of the sword waving Sergeant is true and is found in some other report
     
  8. Uncle Jack

    Uncle Jack Member

    Have now established that R L Crimp was with 2 Rifle Brigade when he arrived in Egypt in 1941 ..

    Will have to read through the diary again to clarify who he was with in 1943

    R
     
    Last edited: Jan 30, 2023
  9. Uncle Jack

    Uncle Jack Member

    Here are the Climp Diary entries

    IMG_9938.JPG IMG_9937.JPG
     
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  10. idler

    idler GeneralList

    Last edited: Jan 30, 2023
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  11. Fran Sandham

    Fran Sandham Member

    Hi Rob, Account from 24th April 1943 here (Joan Bright ''Story of an Armoured Regiment in Battle' p.140, same page) misses out 'A' Squadron 9th Lancers getting ambushed crossing a wadi, with several men killed, various wounded and five tanks lost (my father Ron's tank was brewed up in the ambush). I think S.S.M. Edwards won the bar to his M.M. here.
    Hi Rob, Account from 24th April 1943 here (Joan Bright ''Story of an Armoured Regiment in Battle' p.140, same page) misses out 'A' Squadron 9th Lancers getting ambushed crossing a wadi, with several men killed, various wounded and five tanks lost (my father Ron's tank was brewed up in the ambush). I think S.S.M. Edwards won the bar to his M.M. here.
    cheers,
    Fran
     

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