Just hiked Tunisia's Mareth Line (WWII fortifications)

[Ozymandias]

Just got back to Tunis after an epic hike along the Mareth Line, which was a system of fortifications built by France in southern Tunisia in the late 1930s. The line was intended to protect Tunisia against an Italian invasion from its colony in Libya. It ended up being occupied by Axis forces and was the site of a key battle during the Allied invasion of North Africa in March 1943. There's a serious landmine issue in this part of Tunisia, so we had to do a lot of research before wandering off the beaten track!

We started up in Toujane at the anti-aircraft installations on Kef Enssoura and made our way down to Mareth itself. The weather was beautiful, but there was a lot of clambering up and down to reach the various trenches, bunkers and fortifications. Eventually I'll post a video of the whole hike to my YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/ScafidiTravels), and also more photos on my Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/oscarscafidi/). But for now, here are some shots (including a final photo from inside Rommel's command bunker!)

[ROB]

Very cool. Thanks for sharing.

[Kurt]

Glad you and Darcy are here doing stuff and showing us stuff.

Thanks

I will continue to be useless.

[el3so]

North-African campaigns do not get enough love.
Cool pictures, must have been German paint if the fasces still shows 80 years later ;-)

[Ozymandias]

North-African campaigns do not get enough love.
Cool pictures, must have been German paint if the fasces still shows 80 years later ;-)

Sadly, I think Rommel's bunker had a Swastika mosaic stolen from the floor, but I need to check this with local historians...

[Darcy]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing. I'm trying to get back to North Africa. We had a contract in Tunisia back in the 90s but the deal fell through before i got there.

Up here it's been around 0 F (around -20C) and wind gust to 30 mph for the past few weeks, up on Baffin Island, windchills of -25 F (-32 C). Its not even winter yet. Blowing 50 knots this morning.

[Ozymandias]

I have finally uploaded the full video of our hike along Tunisia's Mareth Line. Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11rF86BUOCg