rational number

[mosaadabd460]

27
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 Amer￾ican 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were withdrawn from the Gafsa area and concentrated with other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 Jan￾uary 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 Mont￾gomery’s army was ready for the opening phase of the Battle of
* A provisional force made up principally of the 1st Armored Division’s artil￾lery headquarters, a battalion of the 168th Infantry (34th Division), an armored
battalion, and a battalion of armored artillery.
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