1943   [ Content Tag Results ]

Below is a list of the history pages, personal accounts, extracts and photos that have been tagged with a reference to '1943'...

Tag references
Divided into content type :

1. [ history ]

Overview
In Brief

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

2. [ pow ]

Johnnie Matheson
5 Escape Attempts

Johnnie Matheson retells the story of his five escape attempts from POW camps between 1940 - 1945.

He walked into wartime captivity with a haversack full of looted French franc notes of doubtful value from a bombed bank in St Valery - and more than five years later drove across a war-torn Europe heading for his Highland home in a brand new BMW car festooned with American stars and stripes, and a legitimate fortune in pounds sterling in his pocket.

3. [ pow ]

Stalag XXb, Marienburg
1942 - 1944

Henry Owens describes Stalag XXb, Marienburg 1942 - 1944

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.

Tripoli

5. [ 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

6. [ 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

7. [ 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

8. [ 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

9. [ history ]

Concluding Operations
Apr 1943

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

Prep. for Op. Huskey

10. [ history ]

Prep. for Op. Huskey
July 1943

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

Sicily - Op. Huskey

11. [ history ]

Sicily - Op. Huskey
Jun 1943 - Nov 1943

In January 1943, Winston Churchill and the American President Franklin D. Roosevelt met with their senior military advisers at Casablanca, Morocco, to devise a military strategy for the coming year. With the North African campaign moving toward a successful conclusion, the leaders of the two nations debated where to launch their next blow. Views varied from a direct intervention in mainland Europe through to a continuation of the Mediterranean strategy to take Italy out of the war. After several days of negotiations, they agreed to make Sicily their next target.

In July 1943 the Allied forces prepared to land...

The Landing

12. [ history ]

The Landing
10th July 1943

Initial phase of Op. Huskey - the landing at Sicily, 10th July 1943

VIZZINI and FRANCOFONTE

13. [ history ]

VIZZINI and FRANCOFONTE
13th - 15th July 1943

Details of the action at VIZZINI and FRANCOFONTE, Sicily, 13th - 15th July 1943

Battle for Gerbini

14. [ history ]

Battle for Gerbini
18th-21st July 1943

The Battle for Gerbini took place between 18 - 21st July 1943.

Sferro Hills

15. [ history ]

Sferro Hills
Jul/Aug 1943

Description of the Battle for the Sferro Hills, late July - early August 1943

152 Brigade in Sicily

16. [ public ]

152 Brigade in Sicily
August 1943

Two photos (and description) of 152 Light Aid Detachment in Sicily during the stand down in the Catania area prior to embarkation to the UK.

After Sferro

17. [ history ]

After Sferro
Aug-Sep 1943

A description of events after the Battle for the Sferro Hills, Aug-Sep 1943

Major General Wimberley

18. [ 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...

19. [ history ]

Departure
Nov 1943

The departure of the 51st Highland Division from Sicily in late 1943

Normandy

20. [ history ]

Normandy
Nov 1943 - Jul 1944

The 51st Highland Division landing took place to the west of the Ornnemouth in the 1st Corps area and crossed the River Orne. The operations in the following weeks were some of the worst the Division had experienced...

Sferro, Sicily

21. [ memorials ]

Sferro, Sicily

Memorial to the 51st Highland Division at Sferro Hill, Sicily. 4th November 1943, on Sferro Hill, in the presence of representatives of the 51st Highland Division this stone Celtic Cross was unveiled. A service entitled "51st Highland Division - Dedication of Memorial" was held. The total casualties of the Division in the campaign had been 124 Officers and 1312 other ranks.