Aspects of the event
Description
As part of Operation Ochsenkopf, the German battle group "Lang" was sent to capture Beja. Their route was a single road passing through Sidi N'sir, which is a village and railway station in a remote valley. The long column of vehicles set out before dawn on 26 February 1943 and soon, descending from the hills, approached the village.
The British had a small force in place at Sidi N'sir; a battalion of infantry and a battery of artillery. The Germans halted just out of sight of the guns and attacked with mortar fire. But the British guns could bombard the first 2km of the column because their infantry were on a hill spotting for them. This situation lasted until about 1000, leaving three Panzers knocked out. The Germans then retreated completely out of sight. Torrential rain had begun.
Around noon, German aircraft attacked. The Germans began to move their lighter tanks to positions where they could fire directly at the British guns. Soft ground and minefields slowed this move down. They also put infantry on high ground to attack the guns with MG fire. Casualties among the gunners began to mount but they fired continually at multiple targets.
By late afternoon the Germans had cleared the British infantry from their hill, and could move back to their morning position. They overran the foremost British gun troop, then they assembled and launched an assault. Panzers led by a single Tiger roared into sight and traded fire with the British. Before they had gone very far, the Tiger was put out of action and two other tanks were knocked out. They continued to advance, closing range to as little as 25 meters while still firing. Each British gun position was overrun in turn.
The battle cost its defenders dearly, but it had the result of delaying Kampfgruppe Lang by one day. That time was used by the British to emplace significant defensive forces 15km ahead, at Hunt's Gap.
Location
in Google MyMaps
Photos
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