Mareth Line

Mareth Line, pre-war French defensive system in southern Tunisia designed to prevent Italian incursions from Libya. Situated a few kilometres south-east of Mareth, it ran from the sea 35 km. (22 mi.) inland to the Matmata Hills. On 19 March 1943, with the North African campaign in its final phase, the British and Commonwealth Eighth Army, commanded by Montgomery, began a frontal assault on it from the south while a specially formed New Zealand Corps, under Freyberg, struck inland to try to outflank it. Defending the line was Rommel's old German–Italian Panzer Army, now renamed the First Italian Army and commanded by Messe. When this drove off the frontal assault by Montgomery's 30th Corps, Montgomery, aided by Long Range Desert Group intelligence that the line could be outflanked inland, reinforced Freyberg. Supported by the Western Desert Air Force and artillery fire this strengthened left hook broke through the Tebaga Gap on 27 March. It threatened to surround Messe's forces which only escaped when Freyberg was held up outside El Hamma.