Battle of Medenine

Battle of Medenine
Part of the Tunisian campaign of the Second World War
Battle of Medenine
Date 6 March 1943 Location Medenine, Tunisia 33°21′17″N 10°30′19″E / 33.35472°N 10.50528°E / 33.35472; 10.50528 Result Allied victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom  New Zealand  Free France	Germany  Italy
Commanders and leaders
Bernard Montgomery	Erwin Rommel Giovanni Messe
Strength
2 infantry divisions 1 armoured division 1 armoured brigade	2 infantry divisions 3 panzer divisions (understrength)
Casualties and losses
130 6 tanks 49 vehicles 32 guns and anti-tank guns	635 41–52 tanks
Medenine class=notpageimage| Medenine, capital of the Medenine Governorate in Tunisia

The Battle of Medenine (German: Unternehmen Capri [Operation Capri]) was an Axis spoiling attack at Medenine in Tunisia on 6 March 1943. The operation was intended to delay an attack by the British Eighth Army on the Mareth Line. The British had been forewarned by Ultra decrypts of German wireless communications and rushed reinforcements from Tripoli and Benghazi before the Axis attack, which was a costly failure. General Erwin Rommel, the commander of Army Group Africa (Heeresgruppe Afrika), could not afford to lose forces needed for the defence of the Mareth Line and the effort was abandoned at dusk that day.

During the night, the Eighth Army remained alert for the possibility of another Axis attempt and sent forward patrols to carry out reconnaissance and to demolish knocked-out Axis tanks. During the day the Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica had made a maximum effort with little effect against the Allied anti-aircraft defence and the Desert Air Force (DAF). On 7 March the Axis forces began a withdrawal northwards towards the Mareth Line, the Eighth Army pursuit being slowed by rain. The Battle of Medenine was the last battle commanded by Rommel in the North African Campaign, who returned to Europe for good soon afterwards.