'Blockship', Tripoli, Libya, 1943

Photograph by Major Wilfred Herbert James Sale, MC, 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), World War Two, North Africa, 1943.

Tripoli had been a key port for Axis (German and Italian) forces during the North African campaign; it eventually fell to the Allies in January 1943. To delay the Allies' ability to supply its troops the Axis forces attempted to block the port by sinking shipping. These 'blockships' had to be cleared or moved by the Royal Navy to allow safe passage into the port.

While 4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) had fought its way to Tripoli after the Battle of El Alamein, the 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), sailed into the port in June 1943. The regiment had been withdrawn to Egypt to reorganise, re-equip and train for an assault on the island of Sicily. The men of 3rd County of London Yeomanry, now part of an invasion fleet, were only in Tripoli for a week before re-embarking for Sicily, as part of Operation HUSKY.

From an album containing 241 photographs compiled by Major W H J Sale, MC, 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters).