Full medal write up
MILITARY MEDAL, G.V.I.R. ‘3061845 SJT. T. B. AINLSIE. R.A.’,1939-45 STAR, AFRICA STAR, CLASP 1ST ARMY, ITALY STAR, DEFENCE AND WAR MEDALS 1939-45 WITH AN ORIGINAL CITATION ON WAR OFFICE EMBOSSED WAR OFFICE PAPER, BASE OF CARD BOX OF ISSUE WITH NAMED BUCKINGHAM PALACE FORWARDING LETTER, HONOURABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY BERET BADGE AND TIE SLIP BADGE, TWO ROYAL HORSE ARTILLERY COLLAR BADGES.
M.M. London Gazette 23 September 1943.
For the action during the bitter and confused fighting at Thala, during the battle of Kasserine Pass, Tunisia, 21-22 February 1943, where elements of ‘Nickforce’, including, ‘F’ Battery held of a Kampfgruppe of the 10th Panzer Division under the direct control of Generalfeldmarshall Rommel, Sergeant Ainsile being responsible for knocking out the leading German tank, believed to be a captured British tank pressed into service by Rommel and sharing in the destruction of a second tank.
The Recommendation states:
“Sgt Ainslie was one of the very first people in the battery to realise the presence of five tanks halted on the road about 100-yds away from the battery position on the night of 21 Feb. He did not know whether they were our own tanks, or German tanks, neither did he know the disposition of our own troops. Having ordered his subsection to take cover from machine gun and cannon fire which was sweeping the valley, behind some nearby rocks, he himself crept forward to within approx. 20 yds of the tanks to try and identify them. When he was there, the leading tank put up a flare and he saw someone moving towards him. At this he withdrew to his subsection, followed by this other man, who turned out to be an R.E. The R.E. then told Sgt Ainslie he was almost certain that they were German tanks, Whereupon Sgt Ainslie reported the matter to Command Post and again crept forward to satisfy himself that they were enemy tanks. Having got to within 20 yds of the tanks again, he distinctly heard German voices and saw them collecting prisoners, so h withdrew to his subsection and when the machine gun and cannon fire had abated a little after a few minutes, he laid his gun into the leading tank as best he could in the dark; then when Captain Pirie had fired a verey-light over the tank he laid his gun into it accurately and fired, scoring a direct hit and knocking out the tanks. He then laid on the next tank and scored another hit at the same time as his other subsection.
Sgt Ainslie and his subsection are credited with one and a half tanks out of three knocked out by the Battery that night, and it is considered that by his initiative and offensive spirit, he turned back the remaining tanks and made the Germans alter their plan.”
A sub-note to the typed recommendation in ink by his commanding officer notes:
“This NCO was the deadline section in the gallant action of ‘F’ Battery (HAC) RHA and set a magnificent example to all ranks throughout the operation”.
3061845 W/Sgt Thomas Balfour Ainslie, served with ‘F’ Battery, 12th Honourable Artillery Company Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery during the battle of Kasserine Pass. His battery forming part of ‘Nickforce’, which was a small, improvised formation of the British First Army in the Tunisian campaign, which supported American forces during the battle. ‘Nickforce’ was hastily formed from elements of the British 6th Armoured Division on 14 February 1943, for the defence of Thala, during the latter stages of the. battle of Kasserine Pass. It took its name from the commanding officer, Brigadier Cameron Nicholson. In desperate fighting, the force successfully blocked a Kampfgruppe of the 10th Panzer Division under the direct control of Generalfeldmarshall Erwin Rommel on 21 and 22 February 1943………………
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Condition NEF, mounted as worn. These, along with the miniatures, ribbon bar and insignia mounted on card board for display. Can be removed if wished. Sold with four copy photographs of the recipient in uniform, two with fellow soldiers.
An extremely fine Royal Horse Artillery M.M. group with a superb citation for knocking out German tanks.A scarce award for Kasserine Pass.