We finally left Central Tunisia behind us and pushed north, Americans as well as British.  The end of the long Tunisian trail was in sight.  The kill could not be long delayed.

The British had more troops, and mere experienced troops, in Tunisia than we had.  In some measure we had divided the load earlier, but wit the arrival of the Eighth Army the affair had become predominantly British.

[. . .] Since Montgomery had chased Rommel all the way from Egypt in one of the great military achievements of history, it was only right that the British should make the kill.

The Eighth Army was a magnificent organization.  We correspondents were dazzled by its perfection.  So were our troops.  it must surely have been one of the outstanding armies of all time.  We trailed it several days up the Tunisian coast, and we came to look upon it almost with awe.

Its organization for continuous movement was so perfect that it seemed more like a big business firm than a destructive army.  The men of the Eighth were brown-skinned and white-eye-browed from the desert sun.  Most of them were in shorts, and they were a healthy-looking lot.  Their spirit was like a tonic.  [. . .]