Page Two

The Second Inventory Upgrade

A North Irish Horse Churchill Mark III
Approaching Longstop Hill

As summer moved into autumn, deliveries of Mark IIIs commenced to gradually replace the aging Mark Is except for six - two being allocated to each Squadron. During the ensuing weeks, crews were given ample opportunity to become familiar with the more powerful 6-pounder (57mm) gun, with extensive firing practices being conducted on several ranges including the firing of a few rounds of the recently available 6-pdr HE ammunition. The value of this training was to prove itself when the Regiment went into action including, somewhat surprisingly as shall be seen later, the Anti-Aircraft firing practice conducted at the range near the village of Stiffkey (pronounced 'Stewkey') on the Norfolk Coast.

Although the NIH was transferred, as the senior regiment, to 25th Army Tank Brigade in September, by November's end, six of the Mark Is still had not been replaced nor were they when orders were received the following month to prepare for deployment overseas. Apparently, the decision had been reached that two Mark Is should be allotted to each Squadron as a back-up, this despite the Royal Artillery having proved the effectiveness of 6-pdr HE in the Middle East Theatre.

Prior to our departure overseas, members of HQF Troop were called for a meeting conducted by our Squadron's OC, Major Rew. He told us that the COs of 25th ATB's regiments had met with Brigadier Tetley in an attempt to get rid of the remaining Mark Is. Despite strong arguments being made for such an action, especially by Lt Col Dawnay, to the effect that hull-mounted 3-inch howitzer tanks had no role to play in an Infantry Tank Regiment, the Brigadier stated that the order had come from above. However, to make the best of an unwise decision, it was decided that HQF Troops would be "stuck with them" under command of 2nd I/Cs and Troop Sergeants. As a result, when the time came to load 'B' Squadron's tanks aboard a freighter in Cardiff, Bushmills and Bangor were among them.

Arrival in North Africa

As mentioned in the narrative, the freighter H.127 carrying 'B' Squadron tanks ran into a storm which necessitated her return to the UK. By happenstance, the ship carrying spare tanks had docked in Algiers, her manifest showing that only one Mark I had been loaded aboard. As Major Rew and Captain Russell had gone on ahead to Phillipeville aboard HMS Queen Emma, in their absence, our Troop Sergeant Roy Burns wisely (more truthfully, unilaterally) decided the Mark I should replace Bushmills. HQF Troop went to war in Tunisia with two Mark IIIs and a Mark I.

Into Battle

The Regiment's first action was a defensive one, commencing Saturday 27th February 1943, in order to repel the German Army which had launched an attack, aimed at the capture of Beja through a valley that became known as Hunt's Gap.

From hull-down positions the Churchill Mark IIIs did exceptionally well. Not only did their 6-pdr guns destroy, or put out of action, seventeen Panzer Kw IIIs, but also knocked out one Panzer Kw VI (Tiger) and damaged another sufficiently that is was abandoned by its crew. The Regiment's Mark Is which were deployed were less successful, as was proven during firing practices in the UK, being hull-down they were unable to bring down accurate fire on the enemy. Further to the south, Mark Is of our fellow regiment, 51st RTR, had a simliar experience in their first action near El Aroussa.

The Regiment's victory at Hunt's Gap proved to be a tremendous boost to the morale of crews, having demonstrated that Churchills were a match for the heaviest Panzer when properly deployed. Their effectiveness, in defence of the approaches to Beja, is emphasised in the records of Schwere Panzer Abteilungen which state that the sPzAbt.501 (Heavy Tank Battalion) lost so many tanks at Hunt's Gap that it ceased to be an effective fighting force.

Fighting in the Mountains of Tunisia

Before an attempt to capture Longstop Hill, the key to opening the Medjerda Valley, it was first necessary to remove the enemy from their positions on the mountainous region stretching south to Oued Zarga. The assault commenced in the early hours of Wednesday, 7th April and came to an end with the capture of Djebel Rmel five days later.

The Germans defending the many peaks of the massif (one being the highest in Tunisia) not realising the climbing ability of the Churchill, had but few A/T guns in position. Unfortunately, one 50mm shell did hit a "B' Squadron tank, killing the co-driver Trooper John Franklin, but the A/T gun was immediately destroyed by Bushmill's howitzer, Major Russell (who had been appointed OC of the Squadron upon the death of Major Rew) was commander. As, at the time I was in hospital, recovering from a minor wound, I have often wondered why the Major was not aboard Ballyrashane as she also took part in the battle.

As the enemy was lacking adequate A/T weaponry, the Luftwaffe was called upon to expose the Regiment to constant attack by their fighters and dive-bombers. However, the training at Stiffkey paid off - a Messerschmidt Me 110 was shot down by BESA fire - several tanks, including Bangor were hit by 30mm shells fired by the aircraft, none sustaining any serious damage.

Later in the month, the North Irish Horse achieved its most important victory in the Tunisian Campaign, the capture of a twin-peaked massif overlooking the Medjerda Valley. Information about this battle and the impact it had on the future of the Churchill tank, may be seen by going to The Battle for Longstop Hill.

The success of the mountain battles, with the relatively few casualties sustained, additionally had two important side-effects. One, the confidence crews had in the battle-worthiness of their Churchill tanks proved to be not misplaced and two, the effectiveness of the Dawnay Doctrine was well proven.

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