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Zid, a few miles west of Faid. Combat Command A of the 1st Armored Division, at Sbeitla, was at once ordered east in support. Combat Command D * was ordered to relieve enemy pressure on the French by attacks eastward from Gafsa. This force of American armor and infantry attacked Sened, where it was contained by the enemy. Meanwhile Combat Command C moved northeast to cut the Sidi bou Zid-Maknassy road. After reaching Sidi bou Zid on the afternoon of the 31st, it turned south toward Maknassy. Although the Allies succeeded in denying the enemy further gains, the ground lost could not be retaken. Combat Command A attacked Faid on the morning of 1 February, but after fruitless assaults that continued during the next day the action was broken off. To the south the armored units captured Sened but during 3 and 4 February were withdrawn from the Gafsa area and concentrated with other II Corps units near Sbeitla. This move was ordered by General Anderson because of the situation at Faid and exaggerated reports of enemy concentrations between Ousseltia and Kairouan. As a result of the enemy attacks from the middle of January to the early days of February the Allied defensive barrier along the Eastern Dorsal had been seriously weakened, and the arrival of Rommel’s forces in southern Tunisia had made the situation even less secure. There was no other alternative but to withdraw the poorly equipped French units from the line so that they could be issued modern weapons and trained in their use. Troops of the American 34th Infantry Division began to take over portions of the French sector. The front remained quiet from 5 to 14 February, during which time both sides made strenuous efforts to bring up additional supplies and reinforcements. During the period from early November 1942 to the end of January 1943 the British Eighth Army, it will be recalled, had pursued Rommel’s army across most of Egypt and Libya. On 23 January the Eighth Army had entered Tripoli, and that fine port was at last in Allied hands. Rommel continued his retreat toward the Tunisian frontier, which he crossed on 4 February. In exactly three months the Eighth Army had advanced 1400 miles from El Alamein, and as a result its administrative services were stretched to the limit. Before offensive operation could be resumed, the port of Tripoli had to be placed in service so that reserves of supplies could be built up. Eight weeks were to pass after the entry into Tripoli before Montgomery’s army was ready for the opening phase of the Battle of * A provisional force made up principally of the 1st Armored Division’s artillery headquarters, a battalion of the 168th Infantry (34th Division), an armored battalion, and a battalion of armored artillery. Digitized byGoogle |
العلامات المرجعية |
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