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==Mareth Line==

==Mareth Line==

The Mareth Line in eastern Tunisia was a natural defensive position comparable to El Alamein; a front 35km (22 miles) long extended from the coast to the mountains inland.

The Mareth Line in eastern Tunisia was a natural defensive position comparable to El Alamein; a front 35 km (22 miles) long extended from the coast to the mountains inland.

On 3 March, the 10th Bersaglieri Regiment supported by 30 tanks attacked the British lines, hoping to repeat the success at Kasserine Pass.<ref>"On February 22— facing poor terrain for mobile operations, increased Alled resistance, and a lack of cooperation from Arnim— Rommel withdrew artfully to prepare for a similiar operation against General Bernard L. Montgomery's British Eighth Army on the Mareth Line to the east." George S. Patton, Earle Rice, pg. 78, Infobase Publishing, 2009</ref> According to Associated Press war correspondent Don Whitehead:{{cquote|Last night three companies of Italians followed by 30 tanks and lorried infantry attacked the Highlander's advance screen. The Jocks “mowed 'em down”—and didn't lose a man. The tanks and infantry scurried back to the safety of the hills. Half the Italians were killed.<ref>Combat Reporter: Don Whitehead's World War II Diary and Memoirs, pg. 125, Fordham Univ Press, 2006</ref>}}

On 3 March, the 10th Bersaglieri Regiment supported by 30 tanks attacked the British lines, hoping to repeat the success at Kasserine Pass.<ref>"On February 22— facing poor terrain for mobile operations, increased Alled resistance, and a lack of cooperation from Arnim— Rommel withdrew artfully to prepare for a similiar operation against General Bernard L. Montgomery's British Eighth Army on the Mareth Line to the east." George S. Patton, Earle Rice, pg. 78, Infobase Publishing, 2009</ref> According to Associated Press war correspondent Don Whitehead:{{cquote|Last night three companies of Italians followed by 30 tanks and lorried infantry attacked the Highlander's advance screen. The Jocks “mowed 'em down”—and didn't lose a man. The tanks and infantry scurried back to the safety of the hills. Half the Italians were killed.<ref>Combat Reporter: Don Whitehead's World War II Diary and Memoirs, pg. 125, Fordham Univ Press, 2006</ref>}}

On 6 April, the Italian 3rd ''Tobruk'' Battalion from the ''San Marcos'' Marine  Regiment, well dug in at Wadi Akarit and plentifully supplied with automatic weapons and grenades, is practically destroyed in hand-to-hand combat fighting alongside the 39th Bersaglieri Regiment, with the attacking British suffering crippling losses in the form of 126 killed from the 6th ''Green Howards''.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071011162155/http://www.greenhowards.org.uk/bill-cheall/cheall11.htm Bill Cheall's Story]</ref><ref>"The ...69th Brigade of the 50th Division was having a difficult time. The 7th Green Howards, on the right, managed to take an enemy outpost on Point 85 but in tandem with 5th East Yorkshires failed to reach an anti-tank ditch below the hog's back. Hit by concentrated artillery, mortar and small-arms fire from the Italian Tobruk and 39th Bersaglieri Regiments which wounded both COs, they dug in amidst mounting casualties. Private E. Anderson, a stretcher-bearer of the East Yorkshires, completely disregarding his own safety, carried back three wounded men and was killed attempting to bring in a fourth. He was awarded a posthumous VC." The Bloody Road to Tunis, David Rolf, Frontline Books, 2015</ref>  

On 6 April, the Italian 3rd ''Tobruk'' Battalion from the ''San Marcos'' Marine  Regiment, well dug in at Wadi Akarit and plentifully supplied with automatic weapons and grenades, is practically destroyed in hand-to-hand combat fighting alongside the 39th Bersaglieri Regiment, with the attacking British suffering crippling losses in the form of 126 killed from the 6th ''Green Howards''.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071011162155/http://www.greenhowards.org.uk/bill-cheall/cheall11.htm Bill Cheall's Story]</ref><ref>"The ...69th Brigade of the 50th Division was having a difficult time. The 7th Green Howards, on the right, managed to take an enemy outpost on Point 85 but in tandem with 5th East Yorkshires failed to reach an anti-tank ditch below the hog's back. Hit by concentrated artillery, mortar and small-arms fire from the Italian Tobruk and 39th Bersaglieri Regiments which wounded both COs, they dug in amidst mounting casualties. Private E. Anderson, a stretcher-bearer of the East Yorkshires, completely disregarding his own safety, carried back three wounded men and was killed attempting to bring in a fourth. He was awarded a posthumous VC." The Bloody Road to Tunis, David Rolf, Frontline Books, 2015</ref>  

   

   

That next day, the 1st/2nd Gurkhas, 1st/9th Gurkhas and 1st Battalion from  the ''Royal Sussex'' Regiment secure the mountain pass at the foot of Djebel Fatnassa, with the Gurkhas losing fifty killed but defeatimg two Italian divisions and German reserves entrusted with its defence.<ref>"The battle was over and, considering the task given to the 1/2nd, the loss of some fifty all ranks was gratifyingly small." Britain's Brigade of Gurkhas, E.D Smith, Pen and Sword,  1983</ref>During the desperate fighting, the 200th Panzer Grenadier Regiment counterattacked the Gurkhas while the 361st Panzer Grenadier Regiment and supporting Italian infantry from the ''Pistoia'' Division attempted to capture Djebel Zouai.<ref>"Messe ordered the 200th Panzer Grenadier Regiment to recapture the hill and  361st Panzer Grenadier Regiment accompanied by a battalion from the Pistoia Division to retake Djebel Zouai." The Bloody Road to Tunis, David Rolf, Frontline Books, 2015</ref>  

That next day, the 1st/2nd Gurkhas, 1st/9th Gurkhas and 1st Battalion from  the ''Royal Sussex'' Regiment secure the mountain pass at the foot of Djebel Fatnassa, with the Gurkhas losing fifty killed but defeatimg two Italian divisions and German reserves entrusted with its defence.<ref>"The battle was over and, considering the task given to the 1/2nd, the loss of some fifty all ranks was gratifyingly small." Britain's Brigade of Gurkhas, E.D Smith, Pen and Sword,  1983</ref> During the desperate fighting, the 200th Panzer Grenadier Regiment counterattacked the Gurkhas while the 361st Panzer Grenadier Regiment and supporting Italian infantry from the ''Pistoia'' Division attempted to capture Djebel Zouai.<ref>"Messe ordered the 200th Panzer Grenadier Regiment to recapture the hill and  361st Panzer Grenadier Regiment accompanied by a battalion from the Pistoia Division to retake Djebel Zouai." The Bloody Road to Tunis, David Rolf, Frontline Books, 2015</ref>  

General von Arnim later confirmed the valiant stand of the Italian Marines, claiming that they were "the best soldiers I ever commanded".<ref>[http://www.avalanchepress.com/Italy_marines.php Italy's Marines]</ref>Private [[Eric Anderson]], of the East Yorkshire Regiment, won a posthumous [[Victoria Cross]] at Wadi Akarit for his efforts in rescuing four British wounded under enemy fire.

General von Arnim later confirmed the valiant stand of the Italian Marines, claiming that they were "the best soldiers I ever commanded".<ref>[http://www.avalanchepress.com/Italy_marines.php Italy's Marines]</ref> Private [[Eric Anderson]], of the East Yorkshire Regiment, won a posthumous [[Victoria Cross]] at Wadi Akarit for his efforts in rescuing four British wounded under enemy fire.

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