Operation Vulcan (22 April – 6 May 1943)[1] and Operation Strike (6–12 May 1943)[2] were the final ground attacks by the Allied forces against the Italian and German forces in Tunis,[3] Cape Bon, and Bizerte, the last Axis bridgeheads in North Africa, during the Tunisian campaign of the Second World War.

With the naval Operation Retribution successful, control of air and sea would prevent any mass evacuation of Axis troops to Italy.

[citation needed][a] At Cactus Farm, the British infantry was faced by extensive defensive fire from well-concealed German paratroopers.

The 6th Armoured Division was then ordered to stop enemy defensive positions being formed before the Cape Bon peninsula.

The II US Corps (Major-General Omar Bradley) surrounded the last defenders at Enfidaville, ending the Axis effort in North Africa.

On 13 May, all remaining Axis forces in Tunisia, under the command of Marshal Giovanni Messe, surrendered unconditionally.

Earlier in the morning he was promoted to the rank of field marshal but the Allies would not accept anything but an unconditional surrender and threatened to resume their attacks, which had been halted the day before.