Air Cooperation in the Fall of Tunis

From 17 to 29 April, attempts were made to break through the German defensive line, first by the Eighth Army, second by the IX Corps, and third by the V Corps. All these drives were given full air cooperation, with no outstanding features except universally bad targets in very broken country. Bombing on pinpoints was practically the rule, and from photographic results it is clear that a very high standard of this class of bombing was maintained by the Tactical Bomber Force.

The U. S. II Corps, making excellent progress in the north, was within 16 miles of Bizerte and had pushed forward a salient toward Mateur. Cooperation was given in this sector whenever requested, and several heavy attacks were made on the enemy communication center at Mateur, but the terrain where the immediate fighting was taking place did not lend itself to air attacks by either side, nor could the II Corps proceed with the main attack on Bizerte until strong forces on its southern flank had reached the plain of Tunis.

On 29 April it was clear that only the original conception, a breakthrough in great strength directly on Tunis, could succeed. Maximum available air power was to participate in this. The 242 Group, as Air Headquarters to the First Army, was given operational control, having at its disposal the whole Tactical Air Force, including air cooperation form the Western Desert Air Force and such medium bombers of the Strategic Air Force as were not required for vital strategic targets.

The operational plan provided for the air attack to commence on the evening of 5 May, with preliminary bombing in the Zaghouan area to soften positions on the ground which were to be stormed that night. The following day, starting at first light, the combined bombers of the Tactical Air Force put down a creeping barrage in front of our advancing army. Bombing was continuous from dawn to midday, with a heavy scale of attack continuing throughout the afternoon. By that time, however, the rapid advance was ahead of schedule, so that calls from the Army had to be waited for. Thus the number of sorties flown was well below the maximum effort which could have been exerted.

From 5 May, 205 Group was temporarily placed for operational control under the Northwest African Tactical Air Force in order to employ to the full the Wellington night-bomber effort in cooperation with the ground operations and in the bombardment of the enemy's rear area communications. The axis of advance was Borj-Frendj-Djebel-Achour-Massicault-St. Cyrpien, and these targets were worked over to the exclusion of everything else. by evening it was apparent that the battle for Tunis had been won. During the day 2,154 sorties had been carried out in cooperation with ground forces. This was a record for any Allied air force in any theater up to that time.

The following morning confirmation came that the main breakthrough had been accomplished. Our troops were in the outskirts of both Tunis and Bizerte and the enemy forces had been split, one segment to the north and west of Tunis and Bizerte, the other to the south and east in the region of the base of the Cape Bon peninsula and Enfidaville.