Battle of Enfidaville

Battle of Enfidaville
	Part of African campaign of World War II
	; Italian commadar of Africa (Giovanni Messe)
Date	19-21 April 1943
Location	Enfidaville, Africa, Italian East Africa
Result	Axis victory
Belligerents
Italy; Supported by:; Germany	United Kingdom; Supported by:; United States; Soviet Union; France; Greece; New Zealand; India
Commanders and leaders
Giovanni Messe; Allied Commanders Taddeo Orlando ; Paolo Berardi ; Jürgen von Arnim ;	Bernard Montgomery; Allied Commanders Harold Alexander ; George S. Patton ;

The Battle of Enfidaville was the last major engagement of the British Eighth Army and Italian forces in the North African campaign.

Battle

The Battle of Enfidaville^[1] was the last major engagement of the British Eighth Army in the North African campaign. After pushing north through Tunisia and taking Sfax and Sousse, General Montgomery’s forces reached Enfidaville, where the Axis made their final defensive stand. Montgomery planned a large attack with heavy artillery and air bombardments, expecting to break through quickly, but the Allies underestimated the strength of the German and Italian defenses, which were positioned in steep and rocky terrain.^[2] The 4th Indian, 2nd New Zealand,^[3] and 50th British Divisions attacked on the night of 19–20 April, capturing Enfidaville after fierce fighting but making little progress inland. Axis counterattacks led by General Giovanni caused heavy casualties, and Montgomery called off the assault on 21 April.^[4] A renewed coastal attack at the end of the month also failed, as the 56th Division struggled under fire.^[5] Realizing the terrain favored the defenders, Montgomery stopped further attacks and sent several of his best units including the 7th Armoured and 4th Indian Divisions to support the First Army in Operation Strike, which ended Axis resistance in Tunisia in May 1943.^[6]

References

↑ Todman, Daniel (2020). BRITAIN'S WAR: A New World, 1942-1947. Oxford University Press. p. 334. ISBN 978-0-19-065848-9.
↑ "Battle of Enfidaville, 19-21 April 1943". www.historyofwar.org. Retrieved 2025-10-27.
↑ Stack, Wayne; O’Sullivan, Barry (2013-03-20). The New Zealand Expeditionary Force in World War II. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 21. ISBN 978-1-78096-112-5.
↑ Battle of Enfidaville.
↑ PC, Field Marshal Viscount Bernard Law Montgomery of Alamein KG GCB DSO (2015-11-06). Eighth Army: El Alamein To The River Sangro [Illustrated Edition]. Lucknow Books. ISBN 978-1-78289-839-9.
↑ "Enfidaville War Cemetery". History Hit. Retrieved 2025-10-27.

[1] Todman, Daniel (2020). BRITAIN'S WAR: A New World, 1942-1947. Oxford University Press. p. 334. ISBN 978-0-19-065848-9.

[2] "Battle of Enfidaville, 19-21 April 1943". www.historyofwar.org. Retrieved 2025-10-27.

[3] Stack, Wayne; O’Sullivan, Barry (2013-03-20). The New Zealand Expeditionary Force in World War II. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 21. ISBN 978-1-78096-112-5.

[4] Battle of Enfidaville.

[5] PC, Field Marshal Viscount Bernard Law Montgomery of Alamein KG GCB DSO (2015-11-06). Eighth Army: El Alamein To The River Sangro [Illustrated Edition]. Lucknow Books. ISBN 978-1-78289-839-9.

[6] "Enfidaville War Cemetery". History Hit. Retrieved 2025-10-27.

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