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The cry of the panther (tanks-destroyers in North Afrika).

Company B, 701st TD Battalion was the first unit to see action against the enemy in Tunisia, making initial contact on 22 November 1942 and continuing in action throughout the campaign. The company with a reconnaissance platoon attachedfunctioned almost entirely as a separate unit, at times even being broken down into separate platoons.

After traveling overland for six days the company reached the little town of Feriana at about 02:30 hours on the morning of 22 November 1942, only to be told by the “Tunisian Task Force Command” there that it was to be prepared to attack the enemy held town of Gafsa at daybreak. IP (initial point) time was at 03:00 hours. Supporting troops totaled two antiquated french armored reconnaissance cars and two P-38’s which were to strafe the town just before our attack.

After refueling and making ready for the trip into and against the unknown, everyone slept until time to leave on the trip to Gafsa, forty-seven miles away. The absolute absence of any information on the enemy forces made it wise to keep the light platoon (37 mm SP) in the rear of the column because of their vulnerability to small arms fire, and thus with the two platoons of destroyers (75-mm M3 half-tracks) used as assault guns, the attack on Gafsa was begun (Figure 2).

To the reconnaissance platoon was given the mission of procceding directly toward the town but off the road until the first hostile elements were encountered. Then, in order to avoid any enemy planned defensive fires, it was decided that only by a wide flanking movement by one platoon and a dispersed frontal attack by the other 75-mm platoon ( A and B in Figure 2) could hope for success be possible. The reconnaissance platoon reported first contact with the enemy and the agreed-upon plan of attack was immediately put into execution. Meanwhile the reconnaissance platoon divided into sections, one going out to either, flank to warn us of any flanking attacks by the enemy. The French armored cars were lost to the attackers early, by running into a minefield (E in Figure 2) on the main road one of them losing all four wheels.

After effectively eliminating the German snipers in the outlying buildings (C and D in Figure 2), using 75-mm high eplosive, one platoon (A in Figure 2) made a flanking attack on the town while the other platoon (B in Figure 2), plus the command group, entered the town, and with the vulunteered aid of a young French civilian, cleaned out the remaining German snipers together with about 300 Arabs who had been armed by the Germans.

All-around defense was immediately established (X’s in Figure 2) and the success of mission No. 1, though unorthodox, became an accomplished fact.

El Guettar.

That same afternoon word was received through the French warning system that an enemyy tank column was approaching Gafsa from Gabés, the enemy stronghold in the Southeast, with the, evident intention of retaking’ Gafsa (Figure 1). Despite the fact that everyone needed some, sleep and rest, it was decided that the terrain around Gafsa afforded little opportunity for a successful battle against tanks, so at 14:30 the company Moved out in the, following march order – reconnaissance platoon, one 75-mm SP platoon, command group, the second 75-mm SP platoon, and followed by the 37 mm SP platoon.

The unit approached El Guettar in an atmosphere of complete serenity, wanting to pick good firing positions and then, by surprise and massed fire, achieved a quick victory.

The main body of the company was just entering El Guettar (Figure 3) and the 1/4 tons of the reconnaissance platoon were topping a rise just cast of town when facing them over the top of a second rise were the enemy tanks.

Surprise at such an abrupt meeting did not stop the reconnaissance from reporting the tanks’ position and range, even though one jeep driver spilled his passengers and overturned his jeep in his hurry to get some solid African dirt between him and the muzzle of the lead tank. The man managed to get back safely.

The fight was on. Based on the reconnaissance reports, the company commander sent one platoon (A in Figure 3) to the left of the road and accompanied the other (B in Figure 3) to the right. The left platoon got four tanks immediately while the right platoon scouted the oasis for any more that might be hidden there. Moving to the edge (C in Figure 3), they attacked six tanks that tried to swing south; none was knocked out, but all were later picked up, out of fuel and damaged, a short distance on the way back to Gabes.

During all this action the 37 mm SP platoon had been kept in reserva and was sent out around the salt lake south of the oasis (D in Figure 3) to prevent the company from being outflanqued and also to act as rear guard. At 17:00 hours the company was reformed and went back to Gafsa.

Sbeitla.

Returning to Gafsa at about dusk with anticipation of much needed sleep, the writer was met with the news that the Germans had captured Sbeitla (Figure 1) about 120 miles to the north, and along with it large quantities of French equipment. The French asked the TD’s to go up thereand do something about it, it was felt, too, that the men had already passed the point of human capabilities to go without sleep. However, it was known there was no one else to call upon.

The 37 mm SP platoon was left behind to help hold Gafsain support of one infantry company, part of the 1st Division, while the remainder of “B” Company started back for Feriana at about 22:30 hours that night and spent the few remaining hours before dawn preparing for the next mission and getting two hours’ sleep.

Dawn on the 23 saw the company beginning its seventy-six mile march through Kasserine to Sbeitla, using the same formation as previously. This bacame known as Plan A. However, because of lack of further enemy information other than that he had come as far as Kasserine, and expecting to meet him coming toward Thelepte, the company traveled in staggered formation on the road so that each gun would have a field of fire to the front. The reconnaissance platoon had been given orders to do a particularly thorough job.

Because of the similarity between this march and the surprise meeting encounterd at El Guettar, one 75 mm SP was placed up the front in the column just behind the reconnaissance so that if they were surprised again the TD could open fire immediately. It travelled with one shell in the chamber ready to fire.

Sbeitla (2 part).

It was learned, upon arrival at Kasserine, that the enemy had been there but had gone back in the direction of Sbeitla, so it was now certain that contact would be made between the two towns. Cautiously now the unit proceeded its way and about five miles out encountered a stone road block appropiately well placed in a defile. Anything was expected to happen at this point, but for some unknown reason it was neither booby-trapped nor defended. A little pioner work soon cleared a passage and the company advanced.

At this point a light, cold rain developed and further strained the already taut nerves of the men who were eager and alert trying to catch sight of the enemy before he saw them. The odometers showed that the company was almost there.

Due to the inaccuracy of the maps which showed the road as entering Sbeitla from the southwest, all were again surprised when approaching from the northwest and topping a rise, the reconnaissance saw the town lying out before them (Figure 4). However, no contact was made by the reconnaissance util the outskirts of Sbeitla were reached, later explained by the fact, that it being noon, the enemy was eating.

The reconnaissance halted and observed the edge of the town but saw nothing then moved ahead and had covered about half the distance to town proper when everything broke loose.

An enemy tanker saw the jeeps about the same tim

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