The Mareth Line 1943 by Ken Ford

Author:Ken Ford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: The Mareth Line 1943: The end in Africa
ISBN: 9781780960951
Publisher: Osprey Publishing

Men from the Maori battalion performing the haka, their traditional ancestral war cry. There is no doubting the strength and prowess of these warriors as they demonstrate their willingness to face their enemy in battle. (DA-01229 War History Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington NZ)

Whilst Rommel was strengthening his positions at Mareth, Arnim’s forces were keeping the Americans occupied. On 3 February, 21. Panzer-Division, now part of PzAOK 5, captured the pass at Faid from a small French contingent. The significance of this event was not lost on Rommel for he realized that the way was now open for an attack on the American supply centre at Gafsa. He knew that the Eighth Army would not be ready to attack Mareth for several more weeks and he could therefore spare some of his mobile forces for a dramatic venture. If Arnim agreed to attack towards Sidi Bou Zid with 10. Panzer-Division in conjunction with Rommel’s proposed moves, then the Americans could be forced back into an awkward situation.

Kesselring was excited by this project when it was put to him and argued that the two commanders should go all out for the total destruction of the Americans. It was a bold proposal, although he was fearful that Rommel’s health and resilience might not be up to the demands placed upon him. Kesselring was also aware that Arnim was waiting for Rommel’s departure so that he might assume command of the whole of Heeresgruppe Afrika. Kesselring asked Arnim to be patient: ‘let’s give Rommel this one chance of glory before he gets out of Africa’, he suggested.

The attack towards Sidi Bou Zid was launched by Arnim’s deputy, Gen.Lt. Ziegler, on 12 February and surprised the Americans with its ferocity; by the end of the day they were in full retreat, which soon degenerated into a rout. On 17 February Rommel attacked towards Gafsa, but found that the Americans there had taken fright and pulled out. Over the next few days the advancing Panzer forces spread panic amongst the Americans who retreated in complete disorder, abandoning much of their equipment and leaving great numbers of their dead on the battlefield. For a while it looked as though the front would collapse as Rommel’s force pushed through the pass at Kasserine and threatened the whole Allied lodgement in Tunisia. However, the Axis advance gradually slowed down through inaction by Arnim and because of a general lack of supplies. In the meantime British and French troops rallied to help the Americans stabilize their rear positions. By then Rommel had realized that he had overextended himself and placed his supply lines under too much pressure. Satisfied he had given the Americans a bloody nose, he withdrew his force back to the Mareth positions, leaving behind very chastised and worried American forces. (See Campaign 152: Kasserine Pass 1943 for a full description of the Axis operation.)

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