Battle of Medenine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids

Battle of Medenine

Part of the Tunisian campaign of the Second World War

Battle of Medenine

Date	6 March 1943
Location	Medenine, Tunisia 33°21′17″N 10°30′19″E / 33.35472°N 10.50528°E / 33.35472; 10.50528
Result	Allied victory

Belligerents

United Kingdom

New Zealand

Free France

Germany

Italy

Commanders and leaders

Bernard Montgomery

Erwin Rommel

Giovanni Messe

Strength

2 infantry divisions
1 armoured division
1 armoured brigade

2 infantry divisions
3 panzer divisions (understrength)

Casualties and losses

130
6 tanks
49 vehicles
32 guns and anti-tank guns

635
41–52 tanks

The Battle of Medenine was a quick attack by the Axis forces in Tunisia on 6 March 1943. This attack, called Operation Capri by the Germans, aimed to slow down the British Eighth Army. The British were planning to attack the strong Mareth Line defenses.

Luckily, the British knew about the attack beforehand. They had intercepted German radio messages using a secret code-breaking system called Ultra. This allowed them to quickly bring in more soldiers and tanks from other cities. The Axis attack failed badly and cost them many soldiers and tanks. General Erwin Rommel, a famous German commander, stopped the attack that same evening. He knew he couldn't afford to lose more troops needed to defend the Mareth Line.

During the night, the British stayed ready for another attack. They sent out patrols to check the area and destroy any damaged Axis tanks. The next day, 7 March, the Axis forces started to pull back towards the Mareth Line. This battle was the last one Rommel commanded in North Africa before returning to Europe.

Why the Battle of Medenine Happened
Planning the Attack
- Axis Plans for Medenine
- British Get Ready
The Battle Begins
- Fighting on 6 March
What Happened Next
- Battle Results
- After the Battle
See also

Why the Battle of Medenine Happened

Axis Forces Retreat from El Alamein

The Axis forces, mainly German and Italian troops, were retreating across North Africa. They had been pushed back by the British Eighth Army after the Second Battle of El Alamein in late 1942. This long retreat covered about 1,400 miles (2,250 km).

The Axis troops faced many problems. They had traffic jams, not enough fuel, bad weather, and constant air attacks. Their supplies were very low. Rommel wanted to retreat to a stronger defensive position further west, but he didn't get permission.

By February 1943, the last Axis soldiers left Libya and reached the Mareth Line in Tunisia. This was a line of forts built by the French. Rommel thought this line was still too weak.

Allied Landings in North Africa

On 7 November 1942, American and British troops landed in Morocco and Algeria. This was called Operation Torch. They quickly moved towards Tunisia. The Axis powers rushed troops and aircraft into Tunisia to stop them.

The Axis forces created a strong area around the ports of Tunis and Bizerta. By December, they had many German troops and tanks there. This created a new front in Tunisia. The Axis forces launched several attacks against the Allies in early 1943.

The Mareth Line Defenses

Tunisia during the 1942–1943 campaign

Southern Tunisia has tough terrain with rocky hills and desert. The Mareth Line was a series of forts built by the French in the 1930s. It followed a natural obstacle, the Wadi Zigzaou, which was a deep riverbed. The French had fortified the northwest side of this wadi.

The Italian 1st Army defended the Mareth Line. They had German and Italian divisions, including several tank divisions. They had about 200 tanks ready.

Planning the Attack

Axis Plans for Medenine

On 28 February, Rommel and other commanders met to plan an attack on Medenine. Medenine was important because many roads met there. They wanted to attack from three directions. Rommel suggested attacking closer to the coast, but his officers disagreed. They said the coastal areas were mined and had too many guns.

General Giovanni Messe and Lieutenant-General Heinz Ziegler drew up the final plan. The attack was set for 6 March. This gave time for Axis units to recover from earlier battles. The plan was to surround the British troops between the Mareth Line and Medenine. German tank divisions would attack from different directions. Other battle groups would launch a direct attack.

The German and Italian air forces were supposed to bomb Allied airfields. They would also protect the ground attack and scout the area.

British Get Ready

The British Eighth Army had been thinking about attacking the Mareth Line for a while. Their special forces, the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG), found a way around the hills. This route could be used by tanks and trucks.

The British brought their divisions forward. The 7th Armoured Division and the 51st (Highland) Division captured airfields near Medenine. The 2nd New Zealand Division also moved up, bringing more tanks and brigades.

The British code breakers at Bletchley Park were crucial. On 25 February, they warned the British commander, Montgomery, about Rommel's plans. On 28 February, they decoded orders for an Axis attack on the Eighth Army by 4 March.

At that time, the British only had one division at Medenine. Most of their tanks were far away. Montgomery thought his forces might not hold out until 7 March. But over three days and nights, the British rushed in many reinforcements. By 4 March, they had 400 tanks, 350 field guns, and 470 anti-tank guns. The Allied air force also had twice as many planes as the Axis.

At 5:36 a.m. on 6 March, the code breakers sent Montgomery the exact plan for the attack. It was set to begin at 6:00 a.m.

The Battle Begins

Fighting on 6 March

British 17-pounder anti-tank gun in action, 11 March 1943

The Axis attack started at 6:00 a.m. in thick fog. Tanks, guns, and vehicles appeared from the hills. Tanks from the 15th Panzer Division moved towards the British positions. They were met by the anti-tank guns of the 7th Armoured Division.

On the New Zealand front, the 164th Light Division was met by small British vehicles. The New Zealanders caused many casualties. Small groups of Axis infantry tried to push forward. As the fog cleared, more Axis artillery moved up.

The British artillery waited. They had orders to fire only when the attackers were close enough for many guns to hit them. The anti-tank guns also waited until the last moment. This surprised the Axis forces. When the British guns finally opened fire, they hit the tanks and the infantry following them, cutting them off.

Around 8:30 a.m., more tanks were seen moving towards a key British position called Tadjera Kbir. Two 6-pounder anti-tank guns opened fire and knocked out four German tanks from 400 yards (365 meters). When the tank crews got out, they were hit by mortars, machine-guns, and artillery. The Axis attackers were surprised and disorganized. They tried to fight back, but the British fire was too strong. Fifteen prisoners were taken from the 10th Panzer Division.

By 10:00 a.m., the remaining Axis infantry pulled back. The British artillery fired constantly, hitting any Axis troops or vehicles that moved. The main Axis attack was focused on Tadjera Kbir and further north. The Free French forces also fought off attacks on their front, losing 27 soldiers.

In the afternoon, Axis infantry joined the attacks. But the British artillery, especially the New Zealanders, broke up their advances. Around 5:45 p.m., about 1,000 Axis infantry with tank support attacked. They were hit hard by British artillery and anti-aircraft guns. The Axis attacks on other fronts also failed.

At 6:00 p.m., 27 Axis tanks and infantry were hit by New Zealand artillery. After this, there were no more attacks on the New Zealand front. Around 8:30 p.m., Rommel agreed with Messe to end the attack. He knew they couldn't continue without losing too many soldiers and tanks, which were needed to defend the Mareth Line.

The German and Italian air forces tried to support the attack, but the Allied air force controlled the sky. As night fell, the Axis attackers pulled back. British patrols went out to check if the attack would restart. They found that 40 to 50 Axis tanks had been destroyed, making another attack unlikely. The night was quiet, except for British artillery firing at the retreating Axis forces.

What Happened Next

Battle Results

The Battle of Medenine was a clear victory for the Allies. The British Eighth Army had very few losses, about 130 soldiers. They lost 6 tanks, 49 vehicles, and 32 guns.

The Axis forces suffered much heavier losses. They had about 635 casualties, mostly German soldiers. They also lost between 41 and 52 tanks. The Germans claimed to have destroyed some British tanks and vehicles, but their own losses were much greater.

After the Battle

On 7 March, Axis transport vehicles were seen moving north, retreating towards the Mareth Line. The British tried to chase them, but bad weather and the speed of the Axis withdrawal slowed them down.

On 10 March, Rommel left Africa for good, leaving another general in command. The defeat at Medenine was so complete that the Germans started to worry about how the British knew their plans. Montgomery, the British commander, was even told to be more careful about hiding his sources of information.

Montgomery wrote to his superior, General Alan Brooke, on 6 March:

He is trying to attack me in daylight with tanks, followed by lorried infantry. I have 500 6pdr atk guns dug in...I have 400 tanks...good infantry...and a great weight of artillery. It is an absolute gift, and the man must be mad.

The Allied plans for attacking the Mareth Line continued as planned. The Battle of Medenine was an important victory that showed the strength of the British defenses and the value of intelligence.