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During all this time heavy mortar and artillery fire was put down on the tanks, with several casualties, including the forward observation officer. At 1500 hours the Adjutant of the Lincolns came up and said that they were going to retire and asked me to cover their retirement. I advanced to the outskirts of the village and told the tanks there to open fire to ass1st the infantry, ordering one Troop to the Mansour Ridge to cover my withdrawal. The fire put up by the tanks in the village was good and a lot of Germans were killed. Our infantry came out on our right through the woods and moved down the road. I smoked the village and hill on the right during this operation. I remained in observation for half-an-hour and saw nothing. I then moved back to the Mansour Ridge, sending the Troop there one bound further back.

Just as it was getting dark we came back through the Coldstream Guards who had come up to form a firm base, the majority of 139th Brigade and 1st Commandos being safely back. Numerous petrol and ammunition dumps were destroyed by our tanks as we returned and we also pulled out a 6-pounder gun which had been left behind. One tank of No. 1 Troop, in trying to pull out some other guns, was bogged and had to be destroyed. On 6th March the Commander of the 46th Division ordered an operation to take place which cons1sted of a drive from the road Beja-Djebel Ab10d by one parachute battalion to clear any enemy from the high ground north of Sidi Mimech and an advance by one Company of 2nd/4th Hamps supported by one Troop N.I.H. from Chemical Corner to Zouave Corner. No. 2 Troop B Squadron, commanded by Lieut. J. H. Pyl, was selected for the task and Lieut. Pyl received orders at Headquarters 46th Division at 1700 hours. At 2400 hours the Troop moved off from Sidi Mimech and arrived at 0230 hours, 7th March, at Chemical Corner after a difficult march along a bad road on a dark and rainy night. At 0300 hours the Hamps Company arrived and the plan was made. The force moved off at 0600 hours along the road towards Zouave Corner, the Paratroops moving through the hills on the southern flank, and by noon hours had reached a point west of Farm La Forestiere. No. 2 Troop now only cons1sted of two tanks, one having broken down earlier in the moining. The infantry fanned out and advanced on the farm supported by the tanks and by 1200 hours the farm was in our hands without a shot being fired. The infantry immediately started to dig in and the tanks gave flank protection. At 1230 hours heavy mortar and machine-gun fire suddenly rained down on the farm and the infantry withdrew, suffering casualties. No. 2 Troop covered the withdrawal and endeavoured to locate the enemy. Lieut. Pyl's tank was hit several times by anti-tank rifle fire and it was soon evident that the enemy fire was coming from positions to the north. Lieut. Pyl then made three journeys in his tank, collecting the Hamps' Company com­mander and some wounded and carrying them to a rallying point, while his Troop serjeant remained on the objective covering this operation.

During the afternoon Lieut. Pyl and Sjt. McAughtry took forward two officers and two other ranks in their tanks and put them back in the farm. The tanks then took up hull down positions. Soon after this more heavy fire came down and the position was finally evacuated at 1700 hours. The force then withdrew and arrived back at Chemical Corner at 1900 hours. On their way back Sjt. McAughtry's tank broke a track and a guard was provided for the night by the R.E.s. A splendid feat of quick repair was ac­complished and the Troop returned to the Regiment on the morning of 8th March.

On the evening of 7th March, Tactical Reconnaissance reported that the enemy armour was withdrawing north-east and this was confirmed next day. During these operations liaison with the artillery was excellent. Lt. Col. Graham acted as local C.R.A. to Brigadier James and had a seat in his L.C.V. Information from his own observation posts, our tanks and the infantry, kept pouring in on all wirelesses and results were very satisfactory.”

The activities of C Squadron now form the main interest and Major Welch at this time was under command of 1st Parachute Brigade. Many small actions were fought.

On 8th March about 1200 hours, one Troop of C Squadron under Lieut. J. E. Williams, with Capt. Sidebottom in support in a close support tank moved up the road Djebel Ab10d-Sedjenane to support 1st Parachute Brigade in driving out the enemy who had infiltrated into our positions in the area round Sidi Moh Belkassen. The four tanks supported the Paratroops into the south-west corner of the wood east of the road. The Paratroops cleared both sides of the road and drove the enemy into the north east corner of the wood on Rag Bou Krachiba. The Paratroops now asked Capt. Sidebottom if he would take his force forward to a position east of the road Sejenane-Djebel Abiod. To this Capt. Sidebottom agreed and got his force into a good position in the open ground. The Paratroops bolted the enemy from the area and the tanks got a good shoot at enemy infantry in the open. The number of enemy killed could not be ascertained but they were thrown into con­siderable confusion and 157 prisoners were taken, including five officers. The co-operation between infantry and tanks was excellent.

On 9th March the corps commander ordered a reconnaissance in force and himself detailed the force to consist of two platoons of infantry and six tanks. The tank force was subsequently reduced to one Troop with a close support tank in support, at 1415 hours the force advanced with infantry on the right and tanks, completely road-bound, on the left. The point tank went over an un-located minefield safely but the Troop Leader, Lieut. J. E. Williams, had his tank blown up. The reserve tank got past after lifting mines but was too late to support the point tank which was found on fire approximately 600 yards away. Major Welch, in the close support tank, supported the infantry into a wood on the right, but after a short time the infantry commander decided to retire a.m. (his was covered from the close support tank with smoke) . The In- reserve tank then withdrew and picked up Lieut. Williams and crew en route. Approximately 27 prisoners were taken and some useful information was obtained. Throughout the day the road was under very heavy mortar and artillery fire.

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