Sbeitla Probe

During the night of February 16th, as battered elements of the 1st Armored Division fell back westward under the onslaught of Operation Fruehlingswind, they met with reinforcements and set up a temporary defensive line in the olive groves and wadis …

1943-02-17

A2

During the night of February 16th, as battered elements of the 1st Armored Division fell back westward under the onslaught of Operation Fruehlingswind, they met with reinforcements and set up a temporary defensive line in the olive groves and wadis west of Sbeitla. The Germans, believing that the Americans would abandon the town, followed in several columns in order to test the strength of their Resistance. As contact was made and firing began, some of the exhausted Americans, unnerved by their first night action, began to flee. This movement became an uncontrolled flood of vehicles which threatened to unhinge the entire defense, but fortunately for the Allies enough of Combat Command A held firm that the line did not collapse at once. As the panic subsided, Battery C of the 68th Armored Field Artillery was ordered to move east into new positions astride the Sbeitla-Faid Road.

Sbeitla, Tunisia

The Tunisian campaign (also known as the Battle of Tunisia) was a series of battles that took place in Tunisia during the North African campaign of the Second World War, between Axis and Allied forces. The Allies consisted of British Imperial Forces, including a Greek contingent, with American and French corps. The battle opened with initial success by the German and Italian forces but the massive supply interdiction efforts led to the decisive defeat of the Axis. Over 250,000 German and Italian troops were taken as prisoners of war, including most of the Afrika Korps.

Wikipedia: Tunisian campaign

German

American