The Tunis Trumpet: 10 June, 1943

The British Army clearly decided to produce a single-sheet newsletter for their troops stationed in Tunis: "The Tunis Trumpet".  Whether Stan, or the Royal Signals, were involved in its production, I do not know, but Stan saved the sheets dated from 9 to 13 June.  The edition for 10 June is shown below.

Some are now very faded and difficult to read, but they give a daily progress report on the battle taking place for the Italian islands of Pantellaria, Lampedusa  and Linosa, which sit in the Mediterranean between Tunisia and Sicily.  Taking possession of these islands was a preparatory step to the invasion of Sicily.

Today's edition begins:

"No reply has been received to the Allied ultimatum to the PANTELLARIA garrison to "Surrender or be bombed into submission!"

Relays of bombers, operating from North Africa, are crossing and re-crossing the 40 miles wide channel in a non-stop bombardment of the island fortress.

They are meeting with strong retaliatory A.A. fire and fierce aerial combat.  In the last 24 hrs twelve enemy aircraft have been destroyed."

By 13 June, all three islands were in Allied hands.