13th Armored Regiment in Tunisia The 13th goes to Tunisia When we last saw the 13th Armored Regiment they had just finished the conquest of Oran . The next phase of their operation in North Africa would lead them into Tunisia, and against a more determined enemy, the Germans. Combat Command B (under the command of General Oliver) was the most available unit to be sent immediately to Tunisia. The first unit to get to the Tunisian border was Bruss’s 2nd Battalion, 13th Armored Regiment. They travelled by road from Oran to Algiers where they were loaded aboard the Maracaibos and shipped by sea to Bône in north-eastern Algeria. Finally they travelled by road to the combat area on 22 November 1942. The 2nd Battalion were soon joined by Companies B and D, 701st Tank Destroyer Battalion who travelled the along the dusty roads all the way from Oran to the Tunisian border. Both units were also joined by their brothers from the 1st Battalion, 1st Armoured Regiment, arriving on 22 November. The remainder of Combat Command B entered Tunisia by 27 November.

The battle for Tunis began on the night of 24-25 November. Combat Command B was represented in all three forces thrusting into Tunisia, aiming for the capital Tunis. By 28 November the Allied northern thrust had become stalled at Sedjenane, and the success of Waters’ force through Chouigui pass had prompted the Germans into action.  The first German thrust came from Djedeida towards Tebourba on the afternoon of 27 November. The Germans were repulsed and Tebourba was quickly reinforced by US and British units. Among them was Bruss’s 2nd Battalion, 13th Armored Regiment. The 2nd Battalion of the 13th was sent into action at 1300 hours on 28 November, they and the British 5th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment were soon rumbling north towards Djedeida, the 13th’s companies deployed in wedge formation. The British infantry rode on the 13th’s Lees.

The battle opened with a burst of Anti-tank gunfire from the Germans lines, the leading platoon of Company D suffering under a hail of anti-tank gun fire. The rest of the Battalion quickly returned fire on the German muzzle flashes, silencing them as fast as they had begun. The British infantry rapidly dismounted and took up positions behind the US tanks. They then approached the village through a eucalyptus grove along the Medjeirda riverbank. Company D layed down covering fire while the Company F approached Djedeida along the rail line, but came under intense fire from a second anti-tank gun battery to the east and were forced to withdraw. The 13th broke off their attack, forcing the British infantry to do the same as they were without tank support.

German infantry held high ground to the west of Djedeida and prevented the evacuation of wounded from Company D’s leading platoon, victims of the first anti-tank gun fire. The Northamptonshire’s took positions on a ridge south of that controlled by the German infantry. At nightfall the wounded of Company D were recovered by the light of their five burning M3 Lees. The attack had failed, an undersized force sent against a larger German force with little coordination between the infantry and tanks, both going off to do their own things. Forces attacking Djedeida, 28 November 1942

2nd Battalion, 13th Armored Regiment (M3 Lee Tank Company, page 21 Fighting First) Battalion HQ (M3 Lee Tank Company HQ, MU103) 2x M3 Lee (short 75mm) 10 points T30 75mm Assault Gun Platoon (TU110) 3x T30 (75mm) 3 points M4 81mm Armored Mortar Platoon (MU109) 3x M4 (81mm mortar) 2 points D Company   M3 Lee Tank Company HQ (MU103) 2x M3 Lee (short 75mm) 10 points Combat Platoons   1st Platoon M3 Lee Tank Platoon (MU104) 5x  M3 Lee (short 75mm) 25 points 2nd Platoon M3 Lee Tank Platoon (MU104) 5x  M3 Lee (short 75mm) 25 points 3rd Platoon M3 Lee Tank Platoon (MU104) 5x  M3 Lee (short 75mm) 25 points F Company   M3 Lee Tank Company HQ (MU103) 2x M3 Lee (short 75mm) 10 points Combat Platoon   1st Platoon M3 Lee Tank Platoon (MU104) 5x  M3 Lee (short 75mm) 25 points 2nd Platoon M3 Lee Tank Platoon (MU104) 5x  M3 Lee (short 75mm) 25 points 3rd Platoon M3 Lee Tank Platoon (MU104) 5x  M3 Lee (short 75mm) 25 points Total 185 points

Plus the 5th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment (British Rifle Battalion, see page 57 of Armoured Fist). If you want to play are large game with this historical force you can field the Battalion HQ as a separate formation with the mortars and assault guns under its command. On 29 November the attack was resumed on Djedeida by the Northamptonshire’s after sustained artillery fire from British and US batteries on the village. They were supported by 12 M3 Lees from the 13th Armored.  2nd Attack on Djedeida (Play No Retreat) The US force is attacking, Germans are defending. The Panzers must be part of the German reserve force. All normal No Retreat rules apply.

US Attackers   2nd Battalion, 13th Armored Regiment (M3 Lee Tank Company, page 21 Fighting First) Headquarters   M3 Lee Tank Company HQ (MU103) 2x M3 Lee (short 75mm) 10 points 1st Platoon M3 Lee Tank Platoon (MU104) 5x  M3 Lee (short 75mm) 25 points 2nd Platoon M3 Lee Tank Platoon (MU104) 5x  M3 Lee (short 75mm) 25 points Armored Recon Patrol (MU107) 2x M3A1 Armored Car, 1x Jeep (MG), 1x Jeep (60mm) 3 points T30 75mm Assault Gun Platoon (TU110) 3x T30 (75mm) 3 points Support Platoons   British Rifle Platoon (MB134) 7x Bren Gun & SMLE rifle team, 1x 2-inch mortar 1x Boys anti-tank rifle (Upgraded with PIAT command card) 11 points 2 points Total 79 points

German Defenders Panzergrenadierkompanie (Armoured Panzergrenadier Company, page 27 Ghost Panzers)   Headquarters   Armoured Panzergrenadier Company HQ (MG241) 2x MP40 SMG team 2 points Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon (MG242) 7x MG34 team 10 points Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon (MG242) 7x MG34 team 10 points Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon (MG242) 7x MG34 team 10 points Armoured sMG34 Machine-gun Platoon (MG243) 4x sMG34 HMG 6 points 8cm Mortar Section (MG212) 2x 8cm mortar 3 points 5cm Tank-hunter Platoon (MG226) 3x 5cm gun 12 points Support Platoon   Panzer III & IV (Mixed) Tank Platoon (MG237) 3x Panzer III (late 5cm) 25 points Total 78 points

The Germans were once more at their anti-tank guns when the artillery lifted, the American tanks took shelter in some low ground only to be further harassed by Stukas and mortars. They retired along the river to the cover of an olive grove southwest of Djebel Maiana. The Allies had failed to gain the important hub of Djedeida, and the Luftwaffe controlled the air. The next move would come from the Germans Though the sky over Djedeida and Tebourba was abuzz with Axis aircraft the Allied airforces had not been idle, the airfields around Tunis had been seriously damaged and the flow of German and Italian reinforcements stemmed. The Germans went on the offensive, General Wolfgang Fischer commander of the 10th Panzer Division took control of the situation.

Fischer realised the Allies were rapidly out numbering the Axis in armour and decided to strike while the situation was still fluid. The Germans launched their attack on December 1, Fischer leading his troops in the field rather than from a command post. Four kampfgruppes were formed. One was sent against the Allied troops at El Bathan bridge.

Two converged on the Chouigui village from the northwest and northeast against blade force. The fourth held Djedeida waiting for the British infantry on the ridges to withdraw before attacking.  The Forces of Old Ironsides were caught up in much of the fighting. By now Combat Command B had established its command post around Medjez-el-Bab, Todd’s 1st Battalion, 13th Armored Regiment (M3 Stuarts) was to the south of Chouigui village supporting US and British infantry and artillery with the 17/21 Lancers, Waters’s 1st Battalion, 1st Armored Regiment (M3 Stuarts), was at Chouigui with elements of Blade force, while Bruss’s 2nd Battalion, 13th Armored Regiment (M3 Lees) were near Tebourba. Two German spearheads hit Chouigui driving Waters and Blade force out, scattering them. Some of Waters’s battalion withdrew south to olive groves near Tebourba.

Todd’s battalion of light M3 Stuarts aggressively thrust north against the German kampfgruppes, but was bloodily repulsed. They withdrew to the Tebourba Gap and prepare for more action.     Bruss’s battalion of M3 Lees also counterattacked from the southeast in the early afternoon. Bruss’s Counter Attack (Free-For-All) Bruss’s battalion of M3 Lees emerged out of the olive groves into the face of the advancing Panzers.

US Attackers   2nd Battalion, 13th Armored Regiment (M3 Lee Tank Company, page 21 Fighting First) Headquarters   M3 Lee Tank Company HQ (MU103) 2x M3 Lee (short 75mm) 10 points 1st Platoon M3 Lee Tank Platoon (MU104) 5x  M3 Lee (short 75mm) 25 points 2nd Platoon M3 Lee Tank Platoon (MU104) 5x  M3 Lee (short 75mm) 25 points 3rd Platoon M3 Lee Tank Platoon (MU104) 5x  M3 Lee (short 75mm)   25 points T30 75mm Assault Gun Platoon (TU110) 3x T30 (75mm) 3 points Total 88 points

German Defenders  10th Panzer Division ~ Panzer Kompanie (Mixed Panzer Company, page 23 Ghost Panzers)   Headquarters   Panzer III & IV (Late) Mixed Panzer Company HQ (MG235) 2x Panzer III (late 5cm) 16 points Panzer III & IV (Mixed) Tank Platoon (MG237) 3x Panzer III (late 5cm) 25 points Panzer III & IV (Mixed) Tank Platoon (MG237) 3x Panzer III (late 5cm) 25 points Panzer IV (late) Tank Platoon 3x Panzer IV (late 7.5cm) 40 points Support Platoons   Armoured Panzergrenadier Platoon (MG242) 7x MG34 team 10 points Total 116 points

Bruss was repulsed but these jabs to the German offensive combined with the considerable firepower of the Allied artillery brought an end the Axis attacks on 1 December. During the night Waters’s battalion reunited. Todd’s 1st Battalion, 13th Armored Regiment was joined by two companies of the 2nd Battalion, 13th Armored Regiment while Major Henry E. Gardiner’s company stayed near Tebourba. During December 1 the British held the heights above Djedeida and the bridge at El Bathan. Next time we will look at the actions of 2 December… Right: The map shows Waters’s Withdrawal, Todd and Bruss’s attacks and the final withdrawal of Combat Command B.