29
Axis armor continued to pour through the pass. One column of
about fifty tanks and some infantry flanked Djebel Lessouda from
the north and west and drove on Sidi Bou Zid. After suffering very
heavy losses, the American armored battalion and its artillery broke
off the engagement and, reduced to the point of ineffectiveness, escaped to the west. The troops on Djebels Lessouda and Ksaira,
although still in fighting condition, were practically isolated by
1300 hours. Throughout the day the highways in the quadrangle
Faid-Maknassy-Gafsa-Sbeitla swarmed with German armor and
infantry. In the south one force of about thirty tanks had advanced
northwest from Maknassy and by evening wag threatening Sidi Bou
Zid from the southwest. Another column was advancing along the
Sened-Gafsa road. Gafsa, in danger of being cut off entirely, was
evacuated in the evening, the troops there withdrawing to Feriana
to protect the important airfields near Thelepte. A new defensive
line was planned for the protection of Feriana and Sbeitla. During
the night of 14-15 February Combat Command B was ordered south
from Maktar to support the remainder of the 1st Armored Division.
General Fredendall ordered the 1st Armored Division to counterattack on the morning of 15 February. Accordingly Coiribat Command C moved south from Hadjeb el Aioun and with elements of
Combat Command A and a British armored infantry battalion attacked about 1600 hours on 15 February. As the leading battalion’s
armor approached the enemy defensive position, running northsouth through Sidi Bou Zid, a formation of German tanks was
sighted, and within an hour a fierce running battle was in progress.
Although the combat command reported the situation under control,
appearances proved deceptive, for the frontal action of the enemy’s
tanks merely served to divert attention from a sweeping flanking
maneuver already under way. The British battalion was following
Combat Command C to exploit such success as the counterattack
might achieve when suddenly it found both its right flank and rear
under the deadly fire of a large German tank force. The Allied
troops were then ordered to extricate themselves, and all units fell
back rapidly except the leading armored battalion, which had not
received the order. It was engulfed by the enemy. As the British
had done at Knightsbridge, our tanks had charged blindly into an
ambuscade. The units on Djebels Lessouda and Ksaira were now
completely cut off, and any thought of going to their relief had to
be abandoned.
Confused fighting continued east and southeast of Sbeitla during
16 February, dive bombers inflicting heavy personnel casualties on
Combat Command A. By this time the II Corps had suffered serious
|