26
The next German thrust came on 18 January at the junction point
of the British and French sectors in the Bou Arada-Pont du Fahs
area. The initial attacks, in which the new Mark VI (“Tiger”)
tank made its debut, were stopped by the British, but not before
Bou Arada was threatened. The same day the enemy attacked from
Pont du Fahs southwest toward Robaa in a drive that if successful
would isolate the French in the mountains to the east.
During the next thirty-six hours Allied forces moved to meet the
Axis advance. The British 6th Armored Division regrouped in the
Bou Arada area and sent a squadron of tanks and some artillery to
help the French troops while Combat Command B of the American
1st Armored Division moved up to Maktar. The American II Corps,
to the south, was assembling elements of the 1st Infantry and 1st
Armored Divisions in the vicinity of Sbeitla for use as a reserve.
On 19 January the British counterattacked, advancing nine miles
east of Bou Arada and clearing the road north of that town. Neverï؟¾theless, the enemy drive to the southwest continued, and Robaa was
occupied. This forced the French forces to withdraw to the west,
the British V Corps conforming by pulling back its right flank. Axis
troops attacked again on 20 January, reaching Ousseltia that night
and isolating French units that'had been holding out in the Eastern
Dorsal.
During the next few days the Allied forces began to restore the
situation. Elements of the British 6th Armored Division advanced
on the Robaa-Pont du Fahs road, and Combat Command B moved
into positions at the south end of the Ousseltia valley, where it was
able to extricate the isolated French units. At this time additional
American forces from the 1st Infantry Division arrived to strengthen
the Allied lines.
By 25 January the enemy's attack had spent its force, and the
positions became stabilized. On that date General Eisenhower, with
the concurrence of the French, appointed General Anderson of the
British First Army commander of all Allied ground forces in Tuï؟¾nisia. General Anderson assigned the American II Corps the reï؟¾sponsibility for the sector south of Fondouk—where it had been
operating.
The enemy did not remain quiet for long. On 30 January he
shifted his main effort and attacked the French troops that were
holding Faid Pass, a position that screened the American 1st Arï؟¾mored Division. Supported by sixty tanks, the Axis force captured
the town of Faid and made further penetrations to the south and
west, although the French retained the road junction at Sidi Bou
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