Medenine, battle of

Medenine, battle of. This was fought on 6 March 1943, during the final phase of the North African campaign, when Rommel, by then C-in-C Army Group Africa, struck at forward formations of Montgomery's British and Commonwealth Eighth Army in southern Tunisia with his three panzer divisions.

To relieve pressure on US forces fighting at Kasserine Pass in central Tunisia, Montgomery had moved two of his divisions forward from Libya to attack the Mareth Line's outposts in southern Tunisia. This left the divisions vulnerable and the Axis plan to attack—it was not Rommel's and he disliked it—was for the panzers to advance on Montgomery's flank from the Matmata Hills inland while forces from General Messe's German–Italian Army put in a diversionary mobile infantry attack from the Mareth Line.

Montgomery's forces were unbalanced to meet so powerful an attack, but ULTRA intelligence accurately revealed its timing, strength, and direction, and this enabled Montgomery to bring forward reinforcements and construct well-concealed defences of anti-tank guns and infantry before the town of Medenine. The armour remained in reserve: it was employed only once and not one tank was lost. The German armour was driven off and suffered heavy losses.

Although Medenine was a significant Allied victory, it highlighted the dangers inherent in using ULTRA intelligence operationally in such a situation. Rommel was convinced his plans had been betrayed and Kesselring, the German C-in-C South-West, accused Messe of revealing them. But luckily for the Allies no security enquiry appears to have been made.