Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45

Bardia to Enfidaville

by Major-General W. G. Stevens

War History Branch

Department of Internal Affairs

Wellington, New Zealand

1962

The authors of the volumes in this series of histories prepared under the supervision of the War History Branch of the Department of Internal Affairs have been given full access to official documents. They and the Editor-in-Chief are responsible for the statements made and the views expressed by them.

Table of Contents

Preface

Chapter 1: The Pause at Bardia

The Halt at Bardia – Reorganisation – 5 Infantry Brigade Group – 6 Infantry Brigade Group

Chapter 2: Squaring Up to the Agheila Position

Air Power – Operation torch – The Enemy Retirement into the Agheila Position – Montgomery – Rommel and the Enemy – The El Agheila Position – Plan of Attack – Preliminary Moves – In the El Haseiat Area – The Enemy in early December

Chapter 3: Left Hook at El Agheila

Across the Rift – Pushing on – 14 December – Enemy Reaction – Into the Blue – 15 December – 6 Brigade Advances – The Enemy escapes – 16 December

Chapter 4: Nofilia

Tidying Up – Attacking Nofilia – Outflanking Nofilia – Night Operations – Gone Away – After Nofilia

Chapter 5: Preparing to Hurry to Tripoli

Tunisian Front – The General Situation on Eighth Army’s Front – From the Enemy’s Side – Christmas Interlude – Back to Business – The Terrain – Plans for Operation fire-eater – The Division moves Forward – Divisional Orders for the Advance – The Enemy – 2 NZ Division Closes up for the Attack

Chapter 6: ‘On to Tripoli’

15th January – The Enemy on 15 January – 16 January – across Wadi Zemzem – The Enemy on 16 January – 17 January – across Wadi Sofeggin – The Enemy on 17 January – 18 and 19 January – Bottleneck at Beni Ulid – The Enemy on 18 January – 19 January at Beni Ulid – The Enemy on 19–20 January – 20 January – into the Gebel – The Enemy on 20 January – 21 January – the Plains of Tripoli – The Enemy on 21 January – Action at Azizia, 22 January – The Enemy on 22 January – 23 January – Tripoli Captured – The Enemy on 23 January – Mr Churchill’s Visit

Chapter 7: The Medenine Incident

Early Days in Tripoli – Demonstrations and Discussions – Dock Labour – Other Activities – The Casablanca Conference – The Enemy Attempt at Disruption – Allied Counter-action – In the Background – Operation PUGILIST – Operation PUGILIST – General Plan of Eighth Army – 2 NZ Division Moves to Medenine – 5 Infantry Brigade Group and 4 Light Armoured Brigade in Position – The Remainder of the Division – Lull before the Storm – The Enemy Prepares – The Enemy Attacks – The Enemy Withdraws – Some Thoughts on Medenine

Chapter 8: Preparing for PUGILIST

The Terrain – The Outflanking Problem – 2 NZ Division Prepares – NZ Corps Moves Forward – NZ Corps Operation Order No. 1 – Administrative Instructions – Final Preparations – First Army Front – The Enemy

Chapter 9: PUGILIST – a Check

Delayed Attack – 22 March – The Enemy – 22 March – NZ Corps – 23 March – The Right Flank on 23 March – The Main Mareth Front – NZ Corps winds up PUGILIST – The Enemy – Change of Plan

Chapter 10: SUPERCHARGE – a Victory

Preparations on 25 March – Orders for supercharge – Starting Positions for supercharge – Artillery – Rate of Advance – Air Support – Brigade Operation Orders – The Enemy – An Outline of SUPERCHARGE II – 8 Armoured Brigade – 28 (Maori) Battalion – 23 Battalion – 24 Battalion – Flanking Units – 1 Armoured Division – The Enemy – Point 209

Chapter 11: Concentration at Gabes

Reorganisation – Dealing with the El Hamma Bottleneck – New Zealand Corps advances – 5 Infantry Brigade Group on 28 March – The Enemy on 28 March – 10 Corps’ Orders – Gabes Captured – The Enemy on 29 March – The End of the supercharge Phase – Tebaga in Retrospect

Chapter 12: Breakthrough at Akarit

Eighteenth Army Group Plan – Eighth Army Plan – The Terrain – Enemy Dispositions – 2 NZ Division is Relieved – Plans and Orders – 2 NZ Division Orders – Artillery – Brigade Plans – Divisional Activities, 1–6 April – The Enemy – The Attack at Akarit – Position at the End of 6 April – The Enemy – Advance from Akarit – 8 April – 9 April – to the Sfax-Faid Road – First Army Front – 10 April – Cross-country Journey – 11 April – Rest and no Rest – 12 April – the End of Desert Fighting

Chapter 13: Up Against It at Enfidaville

First Contacts with the Enemy Line – A Halt on 14 April – The Tactical Picture – Comparative Strengths – Eighth Army – 10 Corps’ Plan – 2 NZ Division, 15–18 April – 6 Infantry Brigade and Enfidaville – 5 Infantry Brigade and the Takrouna Area – Other Activities – Patrolling – 10 Corps’ Orders – 8 Armoured Brigade – 6 Infantry Brigade – 5 Infantry Brigade – 28 (Maori) Battalion – 21 Battalion – 23 Battalion – Plans Reviewed – Lining up for oration – The Enemy

Chapter 14: ORATION – a Soldiers’ Battle

6 Infantry Brigade – 26 Battalion – 24 Battalion – Other Arms in 6 Brigade – 5 Infantry Brigade – 28 (Maori) Battalion – 21 Battalion – 23 Battalion – 23 and 28 (Maori) Battalions – The Assault on Takrouna – Situation at First Light, 20 April – 6 Infantry Brigade on 20 April – 5 Infantry Brigade – Takrouna, 20 April – 21 Battalion – Situation at the End of 20 April – 20–21 April – Some Reorganisation – 21 April – the End of oration – Operations on Djebel Garci – oration in Retrospect

Chapter 15: The End in North Africa

2 NZ Division after Takrouna – The General Situation up to 26 April – Eighth Army Plans – Change of Plan – 2 NZ Division from 27 April to 3 May – The Last Plan – Operations Around Djebibina – The Campaign Ends – 2 NZ Division after the Surrender – Back to Egypt

Chapter 16: Conclusion

Appendix 1

1: Allied Battle Casualties, North Africa, October 1942–May 1943

2: 2 New Zealand Division Casualties, 11 November 1942–13 May 1943*

3: Axis Casualties, 23 October 1942–13 May 1943

Appendix 2

Bibliography

Glossary

Index

Illustrations

On to Tunis – NZ Army (H. Paton)

The left hook at El Agheila – F. T. Allan

A 25-pounder and its limber are winched up a rise – F. T. Allan

New Zealand Vickers guns in position near Wadi Matratin –

General Freyberg confers with his O Group near Nofilia – J. C. White

Bypassing a demolished bridge on the Via Balbia near Sirte – NZ Army

Engineers search the roadside for mines – NZ Army

A sapper removes an S-mine from a landing field – NZ Army (H. Paton)

An enemy shell bursts among advancing transport to the south of Buerat – J. C. White

The Division, in desert formation, advances from Wadi Zemzem towards Beni Ulid – NZ Army (H. Paton)

Beni Ulid - from a painting by R. L. Kay –

New Zealand engineers clear a track on the route between Beni Ulid and Azizia – NZ Army (H. Paton)

A British armoured car near Tarhuna – NZ Army (H. Paton)

A New Zealand column approaches Tarhuna – NZ Army (H. Paton)

On the road to Azizia – NZ Army (H. Paton)

New Zealand sappers make friends with an Italian family on the way to Tripoli – NZ Army (H. Paton)

General Freyberg confers with a Royal Scots Greys officer and Brigadier Weir near Azizia – NZ Army (H. Paton)

Entering Tripoli. Four Maori soldiers share a tin of bully beef; Maori anti-tank gunners drive through an avenue of bluegums – NZ Army (H. Paton)

A New Zealand battalion on an Eighth Army church parade in Tripoli – NZ Army (H. Paton)

Unloading supplies from a lighter at Tripoli – NZ Army

Divisional parade for Mr Churchill at Castel Benito, 4 February 1943 – NZ Army (H. Paton)

Mr Churchill takes the salute – NZ Army (H. Paton)

Medenine – J. M. Mitchell

Soft sand on the route to the Tebaga Gap – G. V. Turnbull

Operation SUPERCHARGE: an aerial mosaic of the Tebaga Gap – Army Air Photograph Interpretation Unit

A 1 Armoured Division tank on its way to the Tebaga Gap – K. G. Killob

The breakthrough at Tebaga. British tanks assemble for the advance to El Hamma – British official photograph

Passing through Gabes. The inhabitants fill in a crossing over Wadi Gabes – NZ Army (H. Paton)

A Hurricane drops a message at New Zealand Corps Headquarters – J. C. White

Stretcher bearers carry wounded to an ambulance plane near Tebaga Gap – NZ Army (H. Paton)

Eighth Army advances to attack the Wadi Akarit position – Indian official photograph

NZASC vehicles pass through the Wadi Akarit defences – O. Bracegirdle

The Enfidaville battlefield – a relief model made by New Zealand engineers –

Takrouna, from the east – French official photograph

5 Brigade’s sector, showing the axes of advance of the three battalions of 5 Brigade –

Takrouna. The Ledge, taken from the Pinnacle – NZ Army (M. D. Elias)

Looking south-east from Takrouna – K. G. Killoh

The lower village – K. G. Killoh

New Zealand field artillery in action near Takrouna – NZ Army (M. D. Elias)

A convoy passes through a field of daisies – NZ Army (M. D. Elias)

Black diamond signs and cactus hedges mark the route forward – NZ Army (M. D. Elias)

Italian troops surrender north of Enfidaville – NZ Army (M. D. Elias)

General Montgomery – NZ Army (H. Paton)

Lieutenant-General Horrocks – British official photograph

10 Corps Headquarters awaits word of the enemy’s capitulation, 13 May 1943 –

10 Corps’ message to 1 Italian Army, 9.5 p.m., 12 May 1943, and situation report on 13 May notifying the surrender of the Italians – War Diary, G Branch, 2 NZ Division

Field Marshal Messe surrenders to General Freyberg, 13 May 1943 – J. C. White

General Mannerini, GOC Saharan Group, with his Chief of Staff at Divisional Headquarters, 8 April 1943 – NZ Army (H. Paton)

General von Liebenstein, GOC 164 Light Africa Division, surrenders on 13 May – J. C. White

German prisoners in Tunisia – NZ Army (M. D. Elias)

An Italian taken at Akarit – NZ Army (H. Paton)

War cemetery at Enfidaville – French official photograph

The Division returns to Egypt – NZ Army (H. Paton)

The end of a 2000-mile journey. Passing through Maadi township; arriving at Maadi Camp – NZ Army (H. Paton)

List of Maps

The Mediterranean Theatre

2 New Zealand Division’s route from Bardia to Wadi Matratin

Nofilia to Tripoli

Tripoli to Medenine

Outflanking the Mareth Line

Gabes to Enfidaville

In text

Wadi Matratin, 15–16 December 1942

Outflanking Nofilia, 17–18 December 1942

Medenine, 6 March 1943

5 Brigade positions at Medenine

Plan for Operation PUGILIST. New Zealand Corps’ assembly areas, axis of advance and objectives

6 Brigade attacks Point 201, 21–22 March

Mannerini Group positions on 22 March showing 6 NZ Brigade’s penetration at Point 201 – a trace from enemy records

Operation SUPERCHARGE. The breakthrough at Tebaga Gap, 26 March

Liebenstein Group positions, 27 March, showing advance by 1 Armoured Division and counter-attack by 15 Panzer – a trace from enemy records

30 Corps’ attack at Wadi Akarit, 5–6 April 1943

10 Corps’ plan for Operation ORATION

Takrouna. Company positions and lines of advance, 19–20 April

Djebel Terhouna and Djebel es Srafi. Night attacks on 23 and 24 April

5 Brigade operations north-east of Djebibina, 4–8 May

The End in Tunisia, April–May 1943