▁' B lade ▁Force '. ▁ ▁By ▁now ▁the ▁A xis ▁forces ▁had ▁react ed ▁strongly ▁to ▁the ▁invasion ▁and ▁First ▁Army ' s ▁drive ▁towards ▁Tun is ▁had ▁been ▁halt ed ▁in ▁the ▁mountains , ▁with ▁V ▁Corps ▁engaged ▁in ▁hard ▁fighting ▁round ▁Long stop ▁Hill . ▁For ▁the ▁next ▁four ▁months ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁actions ▁was ▁fought ▁along ▁this ▁static ▁line , ▁and ▁an ▁extensive ▁network ▁of ▁signal ▁c ables ▁to ▁formation ▁H Q s ▁was ▁rep a ired ▁and ▁laid , ▁despite ▁frequent ▁breaks ▁caused ▁by ▁air ▁ra ids . ▁ 2 5 ▁Line ▁Section ▁working ▁in ▁the ▁forward ▁areas ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁with dra wn ▁following ▁prob es ▁by ▁enemy ▁pat rol s . ▁Corps ▁Sign al ▁Office ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁a ▁storm ▁water ▁cul vert ▁under ▁a ▁road , ▁known ▁as ▁' The ▁D rain '. ▁By ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁V ▁Corps ▁was ▁po ised ▁for ▁a ▁final ▁advance ▁on ▁Tun is , ▁with ▁the ▁line ▁sections ▁working ▁for wards ▁along ▁the ▁two ▁main ▁axes ▁of ▁advance ▁for ▁ 7 8 th ▁Division ▁and ▁ 4 th ▁Division . ▁Sign als ▁personnel ▁helping ▁the ▁Royal ▁Engine ers ▁clear ▁mine fields ▁along ▁these ▁axes ▁suffered ▁several ▁cas ual ties . ▁Rap id ▁progress ▁was ▁made ▁after ▁Operation ▁St rike ▁was ▁launched ▁on ▁ 6 ▁May , ▁and ▁ 7 8 th ▁Division ▁entered ▁Tun is ▁on ▁ 8 ▁May ; ▁V ▁Corps ▁H Q ▁moved ▁up ▁to ▁Mass ica ult ▁the ▁same ▁day . ▁The ▁Tun