大象传媒

Upon arrival on 7th February, 1943, at what was then the most easterly position of the 1st Army (some 12 miles forward of its front line),we were confronted with a somewhat derelict railway station bearing the name Sidi N'Sir, at the rear of which ran a single narrow-guage track. At least we now knew where we were.

To begin with, we were accommodated in a railway wagon at the side of the station, whilst our dug-outs were being prepared and what joy awaited many of us when the first mail was distributed; I myself was 'over the moon' when I was handed a letter from a girl friend wishing me all the luck in the world and stating that she herself had recently joined the A.T.S.Postal Section in Wrexham.

The eight 25-pounder guns as replacement for those lost earlier on had arrived and were deployed four on either side of the track around the bend.(Edward and Freddie Troops respectively).

Our sand-bagged Command Post was built against a shallow embankment of the track leading to the gun positions themselves and was slighly over head-height. It was situated at the western end of Hill 609, whilst our main Observation Post was on the eastern end of same and afforded an extensive view over the Plain of Tunis beyond.

At this point, our Battery Commander (Major John S.Raworth), told me that he wished me to be his signaller, a position of which I was only too pleased to accept in such circumstances. We were then to be the sole occupants of the Command Post.

The area in which we had arrived was so green and pleasant after those treacherous Atlas Mountains, through which we had ventured from Algeria into Tunisia earlier on, in fact, reminiscent of a typical picnic spot.

The next nineteen days were to be just a lull before the storm. During a stroll around the neighbourhood in an off- duty period, I met one of our Officers, who told me that the U.S.11 Corps had suffered a reversal to the extent of some thirty miles over the hills parallel to us and having regained only about six miles later on. He said 'Ledbury,we are now in a very precarious position'

The enemy had launched a decisive tank attack upon that American 11 Corps, as a result of which they had been successful in breaking through the Kasserine Pass in the Thula Valley, to the South of our position. Therefore, both the 5th Hampshires and our 155 Battery were caused much tension and danger throughout the night of 25th/26th February.

Col-Gen.Erwin Rommel had only recently been appointed to the command of the entire Axis Forces in North Africa (Army Group Africa) on 21st February, whilst Gen.Jurgen von Arnim was in command in the coastal region in the North; Rommel however, had his own plan, which was rejected, apart from that, he and von Arnim did not see 'eye-to-eye' therefore Rommel was replaced by von Arnim.

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