1/
January 3, 1943.
The day when T1 Patrol of the Long Range Desert Group embarked on arguably the unit’s most significant reconnaissance of WW2.
The boys were Kiwis, under the command of Captain Nick Wilder (pic).
This is their story:
January 3, 1943.
The day when T1 Patrol of the Long Range Desert Group embarked on arguably the unit’s most significant reconnaissance of WW2.
The boys were Kiwis, under the command of Captain Nick Wilder (pic).
This is their story:
2/
T1 Patrol left Zella oasis & drove towards Tunisia, 600 miles west. Their orders were to reconnoitre an area in SE Tunisia, “from the coast at Gabes southwards & includes the northern arm of the Jebel Nefusa hills running south", which covered the German right flank.
T1 Patrol left Zella oasis & drove towards Tunisia, 600 miles west. Their orders were to reconnoitre an area in SE Tunisia, “from the coast at Gabes southwards & includes the northern arm of the Jebel Nefusa hills running south", which covered the German right flank.
3/
One of the men, L/Cpl Jack Davis, kept a diary of the patrol. The following are extracts:
“Jan 3: Our job was to recce the Mareth Line defences & find a gap...to enable an encircling movement by the 8th Army. We left Zella during a terrific sandstorm & made little progress.”
One of the men, L/Cpl Jack Davis, kept a diary of the patrol. The following are extracts:
“Jan 3: Our job was to recce the Mareth Line defences & find a gap...to enable an encircling movement by the 8th Army. We left Zella during a terrific sandstorm & made little progress.”
4/
"Jan 6: We passed… between a line of dunes on the west & an impassable escarpment on the east until we came to a suitable dune crossing. This happened to be very difficult, but after a little manoeuvring we made it. Moving further up we crossed the road & camped 6 miles west"
"Jan 6: We passed… between a line of dunes on the west & an impassable escarpment on the east until we came to a suitable dune crossing. This happened to be very difficult, but after a little manoeuvring we made it. Moving further up we crossed the road & camped 6 miles west"
5/
“Jan 8: Moved up next morning to unexpectedly pass into a SAS (Special Air Service Paratroops) camp. They had been further north but had been interrupted & had secretly camped further south. Continuing on we entered Wadi Chebir.”
[This was a patrol of B Sqn, 1SAS, pic]
“Jan 8: Moved up next morning to unexpectedly pass into a SAS (Special Air Service Paratroops) camp. They had been further north but had been interrupted & had secretly camped further south. Continuing on we entered Wadi Chebir.”
[This was a patrol of B Sqn, 1SAS, pic]
6/
“Jan 12: Encountered heavy going & sand dunes of varying sizes, forcing us to move northwards. Found suitable crossing. Steep slopes, sunken valleys & numerous cairns line the border. However, we crossed at YP 70/80 & were the first of the Eighth Army to cross into Tunisia."
“Jan 12: Encountered heavy going & sand dunes of varying sizes, forcing us to move northwards. Found suitable crossing. Steep slopes, sunken valleys & numerous cairns line the border. However, we crossed at YP 70/80 & were the first of the Eighth Army to cross into Tunisia."
7/
“Jan 15: Moved due east to try and work our way through the escarpment which borders the west of the plains, but after a few miles of particularly bad going we were forced to camp and continue the recce on foot.”
“Jan 15: Moved due east to try and work our way through the escarpment which borders the west of the plains, but after a few miles of particularly bad going we were forced to camp and continue the recce on foot.”
8/
“Jan 18: Moved in a southerly direction. Rough, rocky, steep slopes & heavy going. Moved towards escarpment, looking for camel tracks or wadi that may give us an opening onto plains….in late afternoon 2 trucks recce eastwards & found a clear gap through the escarpment for MT”
“Jan 18: Moved in a southerly direction. Rough, rocky, steep slopes & heavy going. Moved towards escarpment, looking for camel tracks or wadi that may give us an opening onto plains….in late afternoon 2 trucks recce eastwards & found a clear gap through the escarpment for MT”
9/
Wilder & his boys had found a way on to the plains, in a break in the hills east of Ghermessa, approx 25 miles SW of Foum Tatahouine. This would be Montgomery’s ‘left hook’ round the Mareth Line. Low on petrol & with their vehicles labouring, T1 Patrol turned for home.
Wilder & his boys had found a way on to the plains, in a break in the hills east of Ghermessa, approx 25 miles SW of Foum Tatahouine. This would be Montgomery’s ‘left hook’ round the Mareth Line. Low on petrol & with their vehicles labouring, T1 Patrol turned for home.
10/
They reached Houn Jan 28.
Davis noted: “There were real billets & these made us feel right at home. Mail awaited us & once again we became a happy band of domestic beings. Patriotic parcels also had arrived, & with a piece of cake & a few luxuries one was as happy as a king.”
They reached Houn Jan 28.
Davis noted: “There were real billets & these made us feel right at home. Mail awaited us & once again we became a happy band of domestic beings. Patriotic parcels also had arrived, & with a piece of cake & a few luxuries one was as happy as a king.”
11/
On April 2 1943 Montgomery wrote to Col Guy Prendergast, LRDG CO:
“Without your careful & reliable reports the launching of the ‘left hook’ by the NZ Division would have been a leap in the dark; with the info they produced, the operation could be planned with some certainty"
On April 2 1943 Montgomery wrote to Col Guy Prendergast, LRDG CO:
“Without your careful & reliable reports the launching of the ‘left hook’ by the NZ Division would have been a leap in the dark; with the info they produced, the operation could be planned with some certainty"
12/12
The boys of T1 Patrol.
Nick Wilder, 4th from left middle-row
Jack Davis, 4th from left front-row
Davis described Wilder as 'a grand chap & a great soldier'.
The boys of T1 Patrol.
Nick Wilder, 4th from left middle-row
Jack Davis, 4th from left front-row
Davis described Wilder as 'a grand chap & a great soldier'.
@threadreaderapp unroll
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
