IX Corps arrived in North Africa to join the Tunisian Campaign in March 1943, but IX CTRE was delayed. The personnel ship carrying 558 Fd Co was sunk and the men came ashore short of weapons and personal kit, while the motor transport ship carrying 242 and 255 Fd Cos failed to join its convoy and they were delayed. The CRE, Lt-Col J.V.C. Moberley, got 558 Fd Co and 258 Fd Park Co up to the front by mid-March. The RE units with IX Corps built approach roads for the attack on Kairouan to cut off the Axis retreat during the Battle of Wadi Akarit. For the corps' next advance 558 Fd Co was among the sappers tasked with preparing of hill tracks in No man's land for an armoured thrust; to achieve surprise most of this work was completed at the last moment.