45
Regrouping had started as early as 28 April. Only the British
1st Armored Division and the 46th Infantry Division were left to
contain the enemy armor east of Goubellat, while the remaining
division of the IX Corps (the 6th Armored) together with the 7th
Armored and 4th Indian Divisions from the Eighth Army, was
moved to the V Corps zone of action. At the same time an extensive
plan of deception was put into operation to conceal these moves from
the enemy and to lead him to believe that the next major attack was
to be made in the south by the Eighth Army. Most of the artillery
of its detached divisions was left on the Eighth Army front, and
general activity in that sector was increased greatly. These decepï؟¾tions achieved their object of holding a considerable portion of the
enemy's tanks and antitank guns away from the area selected for
the Allied main attack.
In accordance with the new plan, General Anderson instructed
the V Corps to attack on a narrow front and ordered the IX Corps
to be prepared to pass through the V Corps and capture the inner
defenses of Tunis (Map 8). After taking that city, the First Army
would exploit to the southeast in order to cut off the Cape Bon Penï؟¾insula. On the right and left, respectively, the Eighth Army and
the II Corps were to exert maximum pressure to prevent the enemy
from reinforcing his units facing the First Army. The objective of
the II Corps would be Bizerte, and the Eighth Army was to advance
along the coast so as to assist First Army troops in their effort to
cut off the Axis retreat to Cape Bon.
The First Army's attack was spearheaded by the V Corps. Djebel
Bou Aoukaz was captured on 5 May, and a good line of departure
was established for the drive by the IX Corps toward Tunis. The
attack of the IX Corps was launched at 0300 hours on the 6th. It
was made on a 3000-yard front by two infantry divisions, supported
by tanks and the concentrated fire of 600 guns. Behind the attackï؟¾ing infantry divisions the 6th Armored Division, on the right, and
the 7th Armored Division, on the left, moved out slowly, waiting for
the moment to strike. With continuous sorties for over two hours,
the Northwest African Air Force provided an important addition
to the fire support of the ground troops. By 1100 hours the infantry
attack had broken through the enemy defenses and had opened a
gap for the armored divisions, which by evening reached the Massiï؟¾cault area. On the following morning the armored troops resumed
the advance toward Tunis. Armored cars of both divisions, followed
closely by the remainder of the 7th Armored Division, entered the
city in the afternoon (7 May). The 7th then turned northward
from Tunis and swept on toward Protville, taking large numbers of
|