31
In Kasserine Pass the highway forks. One branch leads north
to Thala, the loss of which would open the road to Le Kef and effecï؟¾tively cut off the II Corps from other Allied forces to the north; the
other branch leads northwest to Tebessa, which was the key comï؟¾munications center of the Allied southern front and the location of
large supply installations.
Rommel consolidated his position and strengthened his forces in
the Kasserine area on 18 February. On the 19th he made a reconï؟¾naissance in force with a battalion of infantry supported by tanks,
but the attack was not pressed when it met stout resistance, includï؟¾ing accurate American artillery fire. During the night, however,
enemy units successfully infiltrated to high ground on both the northï؟¾ern and southern sides of the pass and from these vantage points
brought effective mortar and small-arms fire on the defenders. At
daybreak on the 20th a determined attack carried the pass, forcing
the defending troops back toward Tebessa.
Fortunately the Allies had also been active during the night of
19-20 February. Brigadier Dumphie, commander of the British
26th Armored Brigade, organized a special task force of one comï؟¾pany of motorized infantry, one armored squadron, one troop of
antitank guns, a troop of motorized artillery, and a battalion of
infantry and took position astride the Thala road about ten miles
north of Kasserine Pass. It was this force that bore the brunt of
the Axis attack on the 20th. The armored squadron lost all of its
tanks, and the infantry battalion also suffered severe losses, but the
force held grimly to its position.
During the night of 20-21 February some additional British forces
moved up behind the task force to cover the Thala road, and others
were posted astride the road three miles south of Thala. Combat
Command B was moved from the 1st Armored Division concentraï؟¾tion area to a position on Djebel Hainra to cover the road to Tebessa.
On the 21st about forty enemy tanks attacked this position, but they
were repulsed.
On the 21st a strong German force renewed the attack on the
Thala road. The British continued to suffer heavy losses but held
the enemy ten miles from Thala. Two field artillery battalions from
the American 9th Division and part of the 16th Infantry Regiment
(1st Infantry Division) lent material assistance to the defense.*
During the night of 21-22 February the commanding general of
the American 1st Armored Division was placed in command of all
* The 9th Division artillery made a spectacular forced march from west of
Algiers to Tunisia. In less than 100 hours it covered 735 miles, despite narrow,
congested roads and bitter weather.
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