1/7th Bn., The Queen’s Royal Regt., El Alamein Tunis [The Battle of Medenine]

Commemorating victory at the Battle of Medenine.

This rare unit history map presents the route of the 1/7th Battalion of the Queen’s Royal Regiment across North Africa between October 1942 and May 1943. A simple line follows the coastline from Suez to Tunis, dating different battles and noting the cumulative mileage traveled. Along with two other battalions, the 1/7th was converted into a motorized infantry unit that operated as part of the spearhead of the 7th Armored Division, nicknamed affectionately ‘The Desert Rats.’

One of the decisive engagements of the campaign was the Battle of Medenine, a defensive engagement that saw severe German losses, leading to the abandonment of the Mareth Line. Statistics for the battle noting the loss of 27 German tanks are provided in the upper right. While the image may not convey the chaos and danger of battle, the numerous awards and commendations reflect the unit’s bravery in combat. Unit insignia for both the 1/7th Battalion and the Desert Rats are provided on the verso, along with the title.

The map was drawn and published anonymously, though it was probably issued by the battalion in the summer of 1943. Rare and unlisted in WorldCat as of June 2024.