Join S.O.E. Expeditions on a 10-day journey across Tunisia on the 85th Anniversary, exploring the Ranger raids, armoured battles and special operations that helped shape the North African campaign.
From the race for Tunis to Kasserine and El Guettar, follow the story of an American army learning under fire and the Allied forces fighting alongside it.Our expedition begins in Tunis and Carthage, setting the scene for Operation Torch and the struggle to secure North Africa. We then follow the early American armoured encounters at Chouigui and the fighting around Tebourba and the Medjez sector. On the ground where the Allied advance stalled, we examine how German reinforcement, air power, terrain and command decisions changed the course of the campaign.
In northern Tunisia, the story broadens to the British stand at Sidi Nsir and the later American advance towards Bizerte. We explore the airborne operations around Depienne and Oudna, where isolation and a failed link-up turned an ambitious mission into a demanding fighting withdrawal. Throughout the journey, we distinguish the experiences of the Rangers, paratroopers and conventional formations while showing how their actions contributed to the wider campaign.
Travelling south through Dougga and Sbeitla, we combine Tunisia’s ancient heritage with the battlefields of 1943. At Faïd and Sidi Bou Zid, we trace the German counterattack that exposed weaknesses in American deployment and coordination. We continue to Kasserine Pass, Sbiba and Thala to examine the fighting that followed: the withdrawals, the defensive stands and the lessons that reshaped American leadership and combined-arms warfare.
Alongside the Ranger operations and armour story, we explore the wider role of special operations in North Africa: David Stirling and the SAS, Free French raiders, and the Long Range Desert Group’s reconnaissance and navigation expertise. At Gabès and the Mareth Line, we connect the British and Commonwealth offensive with American pressure inland, examining how the outflanking operation helped break the Axis position.
Expect immersive battlefield exploration, expert historical interpretation and opportunities to discuss leadership, initiative and adaptation, with 4- or 5-star hotel accommodation. For Ranger units, veterans, associations and military-history enthusiasts, this is a chance to connect the written accounts with the ground itself.
Walk the ground. Understand the decisions. Follow in the footsteps of legends.
