radar and an operations room, and US Army AA Artillery units acquiring operational experience alongside British units. As the build-up continued, 22 AA Bde could be released from commitments in the rear areas and assigned to airfield defence for No. 242 Group RAF. By January 1943, 58 HAA Rgt had a troop at Souk-el-Khemis Airfield, another at Souk-el-Arba Airfield and railhead, and a battery defending the port of Bougies under 52 AA Bde, while the third battery was supporting the advance of V Corps. Later the battery from Bougies was released and the airfield defences raised to a battery apiece by March. In the final phase of the Tunisian Campaign (Operation Vulcan), 58 HAA came under 52 AA Bde as part of a mobile AA reserve ready to move up to Bizerta and Tunis immediately behind the battle groups. Some AA guns were deployed 'protecting' dummy armour assembly positions to deceive the enemy. As the Allies moved into Bizerta on 7 May the AA advance parties came under shellfire from the remaining enemy outside the town. The campaign ended on 12 May 1943, with 58th HAA Rgt claiming to have shot down 37 enemy aircraft during its course. Most of the AA units then settled down in defence and training for forthcoming operations. Pantellaria In the words of the Regimental Historian, 'One unit however, had only a short respite from new duties; 58th HAA Regiment, which had taken part in the original landing, was withdrawn from Bizerta, soon after it arrived there, to join a force for the invasion of Pantellaria'. An amphibious assault (Operation Corkscrew) on the Italian island lying between Tunisia and Sicily was accomplished on 11 June 1943. 207th HAA Battery embarked in landing craft on the night of 12/13 June, followed by its guns, 264th HAA Bty embarked on 14 June and RHQ and 208th Bty the following day. The batteries deployed and a regimental Gun Operations Room (GOR) was set up, fed by gun-laying GL radar sets. Enemy air attacks mounted from Sicily lasted for about two weeks after the invasion during which time 58th HAA fought a number of actions and brought down three enemy aircraft. 'The unit was then able to stand down and rest at its own island rest camp'. Italy 58th HAA Regiment was not involved in the invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky), but rejoined 22 AA Bde in mainland Italy