Tunisia / Sidi Nsir "Then & Now"

I have pages about the Sidi N'sir battle, and the German approach from the hills. Apparently they brought a press photographer; most of the photos are German. Most evocative is the photo of the surviving E troop gun.
Alas, I can't provide full-size photos for copyright reasons.

http://tiger1.info/event/To-Sidi-Nsir

http://tiger1.info/event/Sidi-Nsir-battle

David

 

They may well prefer it but I know from experience that if you can prove the quality of your matches they will accept them!

 

We were in discussion at a time but we did not find each other then.

 

Hi Phaethon
I'm thinking about ordering the 46th diary - did it contain as detailed a report for Hunt's Gap? Let me know.
Jamie

 

I have just determined that these photos show some of the 25pdr guns after the Sidi N'sir battle. I can't post them here in full size but they should be available from various archives.

A gun of E troop ;



and Gun #1 of F troop, which was the only one in the anti-tank role and which knocked out several Panzers. It is, as far as I can determine, only 20 or 30 meters from the road that the German tanks charged along;



There is even newsreel footage of an E troop gun;




David

 

Hi David, these pictures are of great interest to me as my late father (at the time Lt J.P.Gelly) was the GPO of E Troop. How could I obtain permission to use one or two of these pictures?
I have retyped his memoirs from the formation of the 172nd Field Regiment, to the sinking of SS Jean Jadot, the action at Sidi Nsir, where the Germans thought there was another Battery in view of the firepower they received, his internment at Campo 49 - Fontanellato, nr Parma, N.Italy and escape with initially 5 other officers then three to Roccamorice in the mountains south of the Pescara River some 430 miles away. The journey took some 34 days evading Germans all the way. Eventually Dad and his two companions (Ken Heck and Dennis Brett) were saved from certain death in the mountains following a snow storm, by an Italian Farmer who hid the group from the Germans at his home for six weeks. Eventually the trio made it home. Dad went on another officer's course and became a Captain. In 1952 Dad went back to Italy with Ken Heck and revisited the Farmer - Michel Conte and his family, all of whom survived the war.
I have a copy of a painting showing the battle if your interested. It was originally hung in the RA Museum at Woolwich but now is in the Officers Mess of 19 Battery.

 

Hi David, these pictures are of great interest to me as my late father (at the time Lt J.P.Gelly) was the GPO of E Troop. How could I obtain permission to use one or two of these pictures?
I have retyped his memoirs from the formation of the 172nd Field Regiment, to the sinking of SS Jean Jadot, the action at Sidi Nsir, where the Germans thought there was another Battery in view of the firepower they received, his internment at Campo 49 - Fontanellato, nr Parma, N.Italy and escape with initially 5 other officers then three to Roccamorice in the mountains south of the Pescara River some 430 miles away. The journey took some 34 days evading Germans all the way. Eventually Dad and his two companions (Ken Heck and Dennis Brett) were saved from certain death in the mountains following a snow storm, by an Italian Farmer who hid the group from the Germans at his home for six weeks. Eventually the trio made it home. Dad went on another officer's course and became a Captain. In 1952 Dad went back to Italy with Ken Heck and revisited the Farmer - Michel Conte and his family, all of whom survived the war.
I have a copy of a painting showing the battle if your interested. It was originally hung in the RA Museum at Woolwich but now is in the Officers Mess of 19 Battery.

 

I didn't source the photos myself, they came to me through others; but given the watermarks, it seems the "Pallas" and "Associated Press" archives have the photos of the E troop gun, and "Luce" have the newsreel.
I don't know the ID numbers of the photos, and I don't suppose they will be correctly captioned, so it might take a while to find them. Let me know if you get stuck. Mail me directly.

David

 

Thanks for that David. Having a bit of trouble up loading a picture of the painting of the battle. Once I've worked out how to do it I'll post it.

John

 

Hi David,
I have sourced a picture, thanks for info. I have also opened a thread "Sidi Nsir - 155th/172nd Field Regiment RA" . It includes a summary of the battle from my Father's memoirs and pictures of the painting, 25th Anniversary Dinner and a News paper article.

Regards
John

 

Hello,
My father was Sgt Henderson,Gun Cmdr of No 1 Gun of F Troop.
Regards,
Alistair

 

Hello

it’s been a while since a post on here but in case it’s of interest there is a war film being released about a soldier Pvt Charlie Standing who fought in this battle.

Charlie Standing—Escapee from Camp 82

It’s called WWII The Long Road Home
It’s UK launch is on 26th October 2020.

WWII – The Long Road Home


Charlie’s Great Grandson is the films writer/director.

 

Owen

you are The font of all knowledge.

thank you.

 

I have just joined - And I find among Lt. Gellys notes a picture of my Father - BSM Green of E Troop, sitting only a few places left of yr father. I knew he was part of 172nd, but not which Troop . He was embarked for N.Africa on 17 Jan 1943 his Job being done by 27 Feb 1943. He similarly was taken PoW (confirmed 15 May 1943) post Sidi-Nsir by Axis to Italy, and was put in Campo Militaire #5 [ I believe nr Gavi ] - moved by Jul '43 to Laterina [Campo 82], then by Apr 1944 was in Muhlberg [Stalag iVb]. Do you have originals of those pictures ? I att. the 1772nd on manoevres around Mertsham in 41/42.

Hope some enjoy - Tim