Tamera, 13-17 March 1943
Following the Sedjenane battle, the Foresters and other surviving units of 139 Brigade were attached to 1 Parachute Brigade, who had been assigned to the defence of the Djebel Abiod area, centred on Tamera Station. Between 13-17 March the 5th Foresters, still reforming after their losses, were thrown into two more bloody actions. Inevitably this led to heavy casualties, and the battalion was ultimately unable to hold its positions - but survived to fight another day.
Forces engaged at Tamera, March 1943
Allied Forces
​1 Parachute Brigade (Brigadier E. Flavell)
Holding Tamera front line
1st Parachute Battalion
2nd Parachute Battalion
3rd Parachute Battalion
5th Sherwood Foresters
E Coy 16th DLI (attached evening 17 March)
2/5th Leicesters
Demi-Brigade Corps Francs d'Afrique (CFA) (2 Bns)
​​
C Sqdn, North Irish Horse (2 troops)
​
70th Field Regiment Group RA
279 Field Battery
279 Field Battery
449 Field Battery
15/17 Medium Battery (attached)
456 Light Battery (attached)
229 Anti-Tank Battery (One troop)
G and H troops 231 Anti-Tank Battery
377 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery (2 troops)
379 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery
16 Airborne Field Ambulance​​
​
139 Brigade (under command 1 Para Bde;
Brigadier B. Howlett to 15 March,
Brigadier R.E.H. Stott from 16 March)
Based around Djebel Abiod
​16th Durham Light Infantry
6th Lincolns
1 Commando
C Sqdn 46th Recce Regiment
3rd Battalion CFA
​
Axis Forces
(as identified by British intelligence reports)
Tunis Field Battalion T.3 (c. 450 men)
Tunis Field Battalion T.4 (c. 400 men?)
II and III Barenthin Battalions
11th Parachute Engineer Battalion (2-3 companies)
​I/69 Panzer Grenadier Battalion
II/754 Grenadier Battalion
II/756 Mountain Battalion (uncertain)
2 troops artillery
The Tamera battlefield, 17 March 1943
5th Sherwood Foresters organisation, 17 March1943