Djebel Garci
Tunisia, April 19-20 1943
Brief History
The Axis forces retreated after Wadi Akarit north towards Enfidaville, losing more men and valuable equipment as they went, they finally reached the new defensive line by April 13. Von Armin`s plan was to form a solid line (see the picture above) at the base of the hilly area behind Enfidaville (dashed line) but this was harshly opposed by Italian commander Gen. Messe. The basic plan was to hold this strong, rocky terrain to tie down Allied forces, preventing them from linking with the First Army advancing towards Tunis.
However Messe wanted to exploit the high ground to the north (dotted line). After some days of inspections, a compromise was reached (black line) and the new defensive positions ran on the hills, forming a line with three arcs and two bulges, where the 1st Army established the strong-points of Takrouna and Djebel Garci.
The entrenchments were not at all up to the standards required! In addition, the units of the 1st Army were so depleted that roughly 3,000 men from the logistic services were recalled to join the ranks of the fighting units. By this time, the Centauro and Spezia divisions were empty shells, the Pistoia was left with 2 battalions and 28 artillery guns, the Trieste had 3 battalions and 29 guns, and the Giovani Fasciti had 5 battalions and 27 guns. The German component had around 6 battalions from what was left of the 164th and 90th divisions and the 15th panzer was down to a dozen tanks with 3 battalions of infantry plus some artillery pieces.
Djebel Garci was a craggy, high-ground feature located north of the approaches to Tunis, part of the defensive line near Enfidaville. The 8th Army attack began on April 19 with an intense artillery barrage followed by at attack by 2nd New Zealand division against Takrouna and 4th Indian Division, specifically the 5th Indian Infantry Brigade which was tasked with breaching the line at Djebel Garci.
The Indians attacked, but met fierce resistance from the defenders of the Trieste Division who were well dug-in with mortars and machine guns. The Indians managed to capture the strong point and the Italians were about to abandon the line when relief arrived in the form of a counter-attack by remaining elements of Pistoia division which drove the tired Indians back! However the Indians eventually recaptured the position by April 21. However the high casualties for the little ground gained, led Montgomery to halt the attack! This actually came as a great relief for Messe’s command, which was in a precarious situation, especially in the center..Montgomery transferred key units to support the First Army's push towards Tunis (Operation Strike), effectively ending the stalemate at Enfidaville and contributing to the final Axis defeat.
The scenario
Your Indian battalion is tasked to assault a small hillside village on the left flank of Djebel Garci, once captured the position is to be fortified and held to protect that flank and the rest of 5th Brigade in their attack, some support weapons are ready to move up to assist, once the position is taken.
Italian orders: You command a company of Trieste Division (or what is left of it), your command is tasked with defending a small Arab village on the right side of Djebel Garci. Your orders are to hold the expected Allied attack as long as you can.
Italian defenders
HQ
3 reduced platoons (8 figs each inc LMG)
Support
80mm mortar (6 turns of ammo)
2 x MMG teams
Sniper
All units start in emplacements, they have some wire and a 6 x 3” medium density mine-field
Elements of Indian 5th Brigade
3 rifle companies each with:
HQ (4 figs) & 3 platoons (10 figures inc Bren team)
Composite Battalion HQ (drives up track once position is captured)
HQ personnel inc FOO for a supporting 25ldr battery and medical unit
2 Jeeps, White scout car, ambulance
Vickers MMG team, 3” mortar team (all carried in a truck)
6pdr AT gun plus crew & tow
Once the Indian HQ arrives, set them up defensively at which point they face an Italian counter-attack!
Italian counter-attack force
2 reduced companies from Pistoria Division with:
HQ (3 figs) & 3 platoons (8 figs each inc LMG or Brixa mortar) one company HQ has an FOO team
Armour
2 x M14/41 tanks
1 x Semovente SP gun
1 x 105mm
My table
The game will run in two halves, first the Indian battalion trying to take the position, then the Italian counter-attack.
Turns 1-3 saw the Indians advance up Djebel Garci, neither side could seen the other, so no firing took place.
The Indian companies advanced left to right A, B and C companies.
The Italians wait their arrival, the Italian commander decided to man the old lookout fort on his far left as this feature dominated both the track and that side of the table, they also laid their minefield on that side of the table.
Turn 4 The defenders spot the Indian approach and their MMGs opened up causing a few casualties as did the 80mm mortar.
Turns 5-6 The Indian companies are now under constant fire from the Italians and taking casualties all across the line. They respond with great courage, using their Brens and 2” mortars to try and suppress the Italian positions. All company RTOs fail to contact the supporting artillery!!
Turn 7 some of “C” company blunder into the Italian minefield!
The company HQ is trying to direct 2” mortar fire against the old fort and the company Bren gunners are dueling with a MMG emplaced up there too!
In the center “B” company is hotly engaged with Italians, taking casualties.
On the far left “A” company continues its advance as yet only exchanging long range LMG fire with dug-in Italians.
The Indians still have no luck contacting the artillery!
Turn 8 The Italian FOO targets the “C” Company 2” mortar, their 80mm is spot of target!
But the company Bren teams wipe-out the troublesome MMG in the fort and company is moving to assault the hill.
In the center “B” Company continues to exchange fire with defenders, both sides take casualties, but numbers on the Allied side were beginning to tell.
“A” Company HQ successfully calls down 25ldr fire which silences a troublesome Italian LMG
Turn 9 troops from “C” Company move against the fort
“B” Company are beginning to gain the upper hand in the center and “A” Company find themselves unopposed on the left! The Italian commander rushes all his remaining reserves forward to support his forward units.
Turn 10 One platoon of “C” Company climb up and overrun the fort, the other two platoons move around the flanks for the outcrop.
“B” Company in the center have silenced most of the Italian positions to their front, but the Italian reserves re-man some of the positions, stalling their advance!
On the left, “A” Company are off and running all opposition either wiped out of failing their morale.
Turn 11-13 sees the Italian survivors in full retreat, what positions still holding out are being picked off by artillery, mortar or close assault
2” mortar targets a stubborn Italian position
Now to reset the table for the second half, the Indian battalion gets 1/3 of its casualties returned - this takes into account men lightly wounded patched up and returned to duty, etc. But this still leaves “A” and “C” companies down to about two platoons each and “C” Company also lost their CO who is replaced by a spare officer from Battalion.
Also as the Italians managed to stage some sort of organised withdrawal led by the company CO, the counter-attack force is boosted by an additional platoon.
Italian Counter-attack
The Italians with little options decided just pile in with a straight forward frontal attack, with one company to the right of the track, the other to the left (this one also had the odds`n sods left over platoon added to its strength). The FOO would set up on turn 2 to try and direct their off table 105mm.
The Indians placed their strongest company “B” center left supported by the Vickers and 3” mortar. “A” company was on the right, the 6pdr in the center covering the track and “C” company in reserve.
Trn 1 saw a general Italian advance, the only weapons the Indians could hit them with was 3” and 2” mortars and their artillery support (which unfortunately the FOO was unable to contact). The 3” did land one bomb on target causing some casualties.
Turn 2 the advance continues under erratic mortar fire, the Indian FOO once again fails to contact his battery, but the Italian FOO succeeded, he had spotted one of the 2” mortars but the first round was short!
The Semovente fires HE at another adobe which collapses killing all inside!
Luckily the Indian FOO finally gets through to his battery and their first salvo wipes out the Semovente!
The Indian 6pdr fires at, but misses the M14 on the track
Turn 4 The advance continues, one Italian platoon on the right is reduced to half strength and needs a morale check! Both of the most forward Indian platoons (1/B & 1/A) also both require morale checks due to casualties.
The 6pdr fires at the M14 again and this time kills its target, unfortunately it was already spotted and targeted by both Italian tanks, both of which hit, putting the Indian gun out of action!
Turn 5 All three morale checks fail, one Italian platoon flees back the way it came, whilst what was left of the two Indian platoons withdraw. The general Italian advance continues under fire, the remaining M14 targets and destroys the 6pdrs tow.
Turn 6 The General Italian advance continues, the M14 and 105mm trying to support the company advancing on the right.
Allied artillery targets the advancing Italians
Turn 7 the Indian left flank is turned and the mortar team wiped out! Luckily the rest of the Italian company on this side of the table have been cut to pieces by two Bren guns and need a morale check – which the fail badly and break off and run away!
Also the Battalion CO has gathered his HQ staff and is grabbing any stragglers he can find to plug the gap.
Seeing “A” company struggling against overwhelming odds on the left, the new “C” Company commander organises his men for a counter-attack.
Turns 8-10 see the Indians in full counter-attack mode, the Italians had suffered so many accumulative casualties, that they eventually failed a morale check on turn 9 and began a retreat, helped on their way by accurate 25ldr fire!
An interesting pair of games, pitting Indian Commonwealth troops against Italians in mountainous terrain. The Indians higher morale and training told when taking the position and frankly the Italians didn`t have the strength to push them back with the counter-attack.
Award for Gallantry
Company Havildar-Major Chhelu Ram of the 4/6th Rajputana Rifles displayed extraordinary courage at Djebel Garci. When the attack was stalled, he rushed a machine-gun post single-handed with a Tommy-gun, silencing it. Despite being wounded, he took command of his company after his company commander was killed! Wounded again, he continued to rally his men with the cry, "Jat aur Musalmano aage badho dhava bolo" (Jats and Muslims, there must be no withdrawal! We will advance!) leading them in intense hand-to-hand combat until finally succumbing to his wounds. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) for his actions on 19/20 April 1943.
An interesting pair of games with lots & lots of toys on tabletop 👏⚔️ Better still the Commonwealth forces were victorious in both.
ReplyDeleteThe men who fought there, on both sides, were doubtless brave. Your mention of the VC shows some soldiers were extremely brave.
Geoff
Cheers Geoff, not quite historical in outcome, but the dice gods give or take and their whim sometimes. As in all wars/battles some men stand out among other brave souls.
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