Operation Vulcan

Operation Vulcan (22 April – 1 May 1943) was one of the last ground attacks by the Allied forces of the First Army against the Italian and German forces in Tunisia in the last Axis bridgeheads in North Africa, during the Tunisian campaign of the Second World War.

An Axis attack on British positions on 20 April failed to delay Operation Vulcan which commenced two days later. The Allies hoped to breach the Axis defences and break out beyond towards Bizerte and Tunis. The attack by First Army succeeded in capturing important strategic locations such as Longstop Hill, Point 174 and Hill 609. This forced the Axis to withdraw resulting in large areas being abandoned to the Allies. Vulcan did not break out through into the open ground as planned, but it severely weakened the Axis forces, and became the first stage of the final Allied assault in the Tunisian campaign. Operation Strike commenced only a week after Vulcan had terminated, and within a few days allied forces broke through Axis frontlines, putting an end to the North Africa campaign.