The Djebels Ang and Tanngoucha

Of all the mountains that the Regiment's Churchills climbed in Tunisia and Italy, none was steeper, or riven by so many wadis, than those on the twin djebels that the three 'A' Squadron tanks had to climb. Looking across at Tanngoucha from the lower slopes of Longstop Hill, few of us thought that the "Mountain Goats" would make even halfway up, let alone the very top. I was reminded of the first time I saw Tryfan (about the same height) in North Wales. We were wrong!

Here is what Colonel John Horsfell of the Royal Irish Fusiliers wrote:

"It was our good fortune in having tank men by us who were not put off by the obstacles around them when most others would have been. Our cavalry regiment, The North Irish Horse, was free of inhibitions sometimes found in traditionally minded units. They did not consider that all hunting should be over flat country and they did not mind about their machines. Yes they might lose a tank or two up the three thousand feet over Djebel Ang and, if they couldn't get them down again they would, no doubt, be given others. So they set off to prove it with seventy mules behind them loaded with petrol. Two days later they had done it. Three of them and they were the only power-driven vehicles ever to get over Ang. It was scarcely mule country. I do not think that anyone can appreciate the achievement of The North Irish Horse tank crews unless they had carried out that climb themselves, preferably in charge of a mule column. Nothing in Italy, or elsewhere in my experience, was comparable to those trackless and precipitous mountain wastes, fit only for Berber goats and shunned even by them." ¹

From the Belfast Telegraph: "Captain Bowring's troop advanced over country only fit for mountain goats. One tank got bogged down to the tops of its tracks. Under heavy fire the troop towed it out and went forward only to lose another in a deep wadi. Again the crews dismounted and all the heavy work of tank towing started again. Luck was with the Ulster men once more and out she came. In this fashion the climb was made- on and on to a position where the Germans could feel, as well as see, the menace of steel. It was not a speedy advance, nor a brilliant spectacle - just a lumbering and at times a drunken amble, but nearer, always nearer to Tanngoucha and the sites of the 'mortar men'.

And if anything these deliberate elephantine antics increased the relentless threat of advancing steel. The Huns threw everything they had at the tanks but were getting a 'bit windy' now - this was a slightly different matter to shelling unprotected infantry. At times they lost sight of the troop as it struggled through the usual interminable wadi, but sure enough they came in sight again. First one, then the other two - the 'tower' and the 'towed'. Tanks stood up to tremendous tests, crews sweated in the noonday sun.

At last further ascent became impossible and with frightening deliberation the troop settled down to blast the Germans off the mountain. Machine-guns kept firing until fumes choked the crews. Covered by this hail of fire the Irish Brigade wove their way up the rocky crags to get hand to hand with the mortar men.

Of the enemy left alive, 200 odd prisoners were taken and it was left to one of them to coin a title that can be seen on the side of a North Irish Horse tank. As he passed down the road to the prisoners' cage he went by the tanks. He smiled at the Commander, patted the tank and said in perfect English: "These are iron mules you've got!" It was an absolute unbiased tribute, I think, considering the source, this is how the 'Horse' of Northern Ireland, became 'The Iron Mule of Tunisia'.²

When the list of awards given for services in North Africa was announced in October 1943, many wondered why none of the names of those who fought their way up Tanngoucha was included. I recall, when asking Major Sidebottom why Captain Bowring was not honoured, he too wondered why. If the enemy had not been removed from the Djebel, the capture of Longstop Hill would have proven to be a much more difficult task.

The Royal Irish Fusiliers, the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the Northampton Regiment were each awarded Djebel Tanngoucha as a Battle Honour.

Although not directly relevant, here is an extract from my narrative:

"Next to assume command of our tank was Captain R.Bowring who had just returned to the Regiment after a temporary absence. During the brief time that our new skipper was with us, he proved to be one of the most interesting people that I was to meet while with the NIH.

The Captain had a great singing voice, often time entertaining us while he was sitting on top of the turret. On finding out that I was from Wallasey, with a great interest in ships, we sat and talked for perhaps an hour. Not only was his father a one-time Lord Mayor of Liverpool but was also head of C.T.Bowring & Co. Ltd. Many a time I had seen their ships, the tanker Regent among them, sailing on the River Mersey bound for a refinery near to Ellesmere Port. He told me that he was pleased to be serving with an Irish Regiment, particularly as the Bowring Shipping Line had adopted the flag of St. Patrick to be that of their house.

Unfortunately, a few days later while on his way to a strategy meeting, he was injured when his transport overturned after it had gone off the road. The Captain recovered but, as he was posted to 'A' Squadron, the chance for another conversation never came to pass."

Notes:
1 The Wild Geese are Flighting by John Horsfall.
2 Belfast Telegraph, 16th June 1943.

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Dieppe - Churchills in Action