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During the night of 28th February - 1st March, the German infantry put in an attack and shortly after first light succeeded in driving our infantry off the high feature, Point 374, immediately to the north of "The Loop." This meant that we were completely overlooked from the north and gave the enemy the most perfect observation posts. Our infantry at that time was not sufficiently strong to put in an immediate counter-attack and Commander of the 46th Division made application for the use of the corps reserve which conssted of only one infantry battalion, the 8th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

On the morning of 1st March, Capt. Griffith went forward on foot and entered one of the six German tanks which had been abandoned the previous evening. He brought back a wallet and other equipment which was immediately sent to Headquarters, 128th Brigade. Major Rew then made a plan to blow up these tanks. Brigadier James heard of this but decided that there would not be sufficient explosive available on the spot and he ordered Capt. Evans to go forward with a party of R.E.s to destroy these tanks. While Capt. Evans was collecting this party it was decided to put down a heavy concentration of fire on to the area of the abandoned tanks and Lt. Col. Dawnay gave orders over the wireless that nobody was to go forward until Capt. Evans arrived. There was a misunderstanding over this and when the artillery fire came down it was found that Capt. Griffith was in the area and the fire had to be hastily called off. Immediately Capt. Griffith returned this fire was again put down. Meantime Capt. Evans left in a 15-cwt. truck full of explosive and he reached Ksar Mezouar safely. Almost immediately after the explosive had been removed from the truck enemy aircraft appeared and scored a direct hit on the vehicle. The R.E.s then proceeded to make a reconnassance and towards the end of an eventful afternoon, which had seemed a very long one to those waiting anxiously at Sidi Mimech, all the enemy tanks were successfully destroyed. .

Throughout the day the Germans put down intense mortar fire at intervals and just before last light more armour was seen manoeuvring in the valley. The artillery again opened up on this area and dispersed the enemy tanks.

During the morning of this day C Squadron reached Beja and Major Welch was Immediately sent, forward to make a recon­naissance of "The Loop," with the idea of relieving A and B Squadrons that night in the afternoon, however, we received orders that three Troops were to be despatched immedi­ately to Sedjenane. Major Welch was thereupon ordered to leave with reconnaissance officer in a scout car and three Troops and to move on tracks through the night.

On 2nd March the remaining two Troops of B Squadron and Regimental Headquarters Troop arrived at Beja. The two B Squadron Troops were immediately sent forward to Major Rew and the R.H.Q. Troop was left in reserve at Beja where it was heavily dive- Bombed during the day but suffered no casualties. Early in the day a report came in that another German Mark VI tank was in the area of those previously destroyed and that this was bogged down and abandoned. It was hoped to effect recovery but later in the day the R.E.s had to go forward and blow it up.

Enemy armour and infantry began in the morning to manoeuvre in the area round El Guessa Farm, which had fallen during the night of 1st-2nd March, and prepared to make an attack on Montagne Farm. This eventually materialised during the after­noon and our tank crews at Ksar Mezouar Station saw this attack go in. Enemy infantry were seen advancing. For a moment our men thought that the farm was lost. Suddenly it was observed that the enemy were not advancing to the attack but were in the act of surrendering. It was a moment of great relief. Shortly after­wards these prisoners were on their way to Sidi Mimech where they stated that the artillery fire had been more severe than that experienced in Russia and that they could stand no more.

During the night of 2nd-3rd March the 8th Argyll and Suther­land Highlanders arrived in the area to relieve 4th Hamps, the commander, 46th Division having obtained permission to use the Argylls to restore the positions captured by the German infantry on the night of 28th February-1st March. At 1000 hours on 3rd March this attack was put in. The two companies on the left were successful but the Company on the right was unable to reach its objective owing to intensive mortaring and machine-gun fire. During the afternoon Lt. Col. Dawnay received orders from the divisional commander that he was to send one Troop to advance north as far as a small house by d'A Haneeb, along the winding road which led behind the newly-captured enemy position at Point 374.

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