The British 8th Army was continuing its advance through the Mareth Line. The Axis forces established their positions along the Wadi Akarit in Tunisia. At this point, known as the Gabes Gap, there was a narrow land gap between the sea and impassable salt marshes. On the night of 5 April, the British 50th Division crossed the anti-tank ditch before Hachana Ridge and assaulted the Italian forces holding the ridge. But these Italians were members of the 3rd Battalion San Marcos Marines, the “Tobruk Battalion”. Unlike so many of their countrymen, the men of the Tobruk Battalion would fight to the last. It would fall to the men of the 6th Green Howards to remove the Italians from their formidable positions.
Attacker: British (6th Battalion Green Howards)
Defender: Italian (3rd Battalion, San Marcos Marines “Tobruk Battalion”)
