The North Africa Campaign   [ Content Tag Results ]

Below is a list of the history pages, personal accounts, extracts and photos that have been tagged with a reference to 'North Africa'...

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1. [ history ]

Overview
In Brief

An introduction to the history of the 51st Highland Division.

Reformation

2. [ history ]

Reformation
1940 - 1942

After St. Valery, the remainder of the 51st Highland Division joined the 9th Highland Division, a territorial 2nd line duplicate of the 51HD (amongst other smaller Battalions) to form the new 51st (Highland) Infantry Division. This reformed division had the following orders of Battle...

Arrival in Egypt

3. [ history ]

Arrival in Egypt
Aug 1942

In June 1942 the 51st Highland Division moved by train to a variety of ports, and embarked for an unknown destination. They moved around Africa leaving Durban on the 16th July and disembarked on 14th August 1942 at the entrance to the Suez Canal at Port Tewfik...

North Africa

4. [ history ]

North Africa
Aug 1942 - May 1943

After St. Valery, what remained of the 51st Highland Division joined the 9th Highland Division to form the new 51st (Highland) Infantry Division. The reformed Division took on a home defense role between 1940 - 1942 when it set sail for Egypt and the North Africa Campaign.

Battle of El Alamein

5. [ history ]

Battle of El Alamein
Oct 1942

Montgomery was determined to attack the enemy using his infantry to create a gap and then push the armour through the gap created. The area for this was not the weaker sector in the south but the stronger part of the enemy position in the North. 30 Corps were to execute this attaching on a frontage four divisions wide...

In Pursuit

6. [ history ]

In Pursuit
Nov 1942 - Jan 1943

After El Alamein the 51st Highland Division were in pursuit of Rommel and the retreating forces from Tubruk to Misurata

Tripoli

7. [ history ]

Tripoli
Jan 1943

The 51st Highland Division moved along the cost with the New Zealand Division and 7th Armoured Division carrying out a flanking attack. Failure to succeed in occupying Tripoli would cause Montgomery to have to fall back...

Medenine

8. [ history ]

Medenine
Mar 1943

Rommel's next defensive line after retreating from Tripoli was close to Medenine, a narrow point between the coast and the Matmata hills.

The Mareth Line

9. [ history ]

The Mareth Line
March 1943

The Mareth line was formed at the narrow point between the coast and the Matmata hills. The plan was to smash the Mareth defensive lines through the Matmata Hills into the Gabes Gap, which would later be the area of the battle of Wadi Akarit.

Wadi Akarit

10. [ history ]

Wadi Akarit
Apr 1943

The battle of Wadi Akarit took place in a narrow coastline strip between the sea and the coastal towns of Gabes and El Hamma. Between these was the Gabes gap. The Wadi Akarit ran across the gap at the coastal end and to the Roumana Ridge inland and to the west. This area was the objective for the 51st Highland Division...

Concluding Operations

11. [ history ]

Concluding Operations
Apr 1943

In the wake of the Wadi Akarit battle the 8th Army took up the pursuit...

Prep. for Op. Huskey

12. [ history ]

Prep. for Op. Huskey
July 1943

After the North Africa Campaign the 51st Highland Division prepared for Operation Huskey, July 1943

Major General Wimberley

13. [ history ]

Major General Wimberley
Departure from 51HD

Major General Wimberley, affectionately know as "Tartan Tam" for his determination that the Division would wear the kilt, had commanded the Division from its England through North Africa and Sicily. On his departure he published the following farewell messages to his Jocks...