This map from The Royal Hampshire Regiment: 1918-1954 shows the battles at Sidi Nsir and Hunt’s Gap in Tunisia in February-March 1943. The German forces overran the British units at Sidi Nsir but were halted at Hunt’s Gap near Ksar Mezouar. The Tiger Grave at Beja is located near the point marked “German tanks hit by artillery”.
Great post.
if anyone wants to read a personal account of the battle of sidi nsir, this account by a bren gunner in the Hampshire regiment is very good. It describes how they held up the German tiger and panzer tanks with bren guns and a mines.
sorry forgot to post the link go to http://www.amazon.co.uk/Battle-Sidi-Nsir-Personal-ebook/dp/B005T2XBJ6
I don’t know how long this link will work, but the photo shows a 25 pdr at Sidi Nsir, still emplaced, with ammunition boxes and spent shells. It is the only photo from Sidi Nsir that I have seen illustrating one of the guns. The location is immediately south of the
road to Mateur.
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s236/miloslavhrabec/Schwere%20Panzer-Abteilung%20501/065.jpg
David Byrden
I’m living in Tunis at the moment, and have just spent a fascinating weekend visiting these sites, in particular the area known as Hunt’s Gap, Sidi Nsir and Hill 609 (Djebel Tahent). Some German defensive lines are still visible on top of the Djebel, but most everything else appears to have gone. I managed to chat with a few old locals (whose French is much better than their grand-children’s) and they remember the ferocity of the fighting here.