The Battle of the Mareth Line or the Battle of Mareth was an attack in World War II by the British Eighth Army (General Bernard Montgomery) in Tunisia, against the Mareth Line held by the Italo-German 1st Army (General Giovanni Messe). It was the first big operation by the Eighth Army since the Second Battle of El Alamein 4 1⁄2 months previous. Operation Pugilist, the first British attack, established a bridgehead but a breakout attempt was defeated by Axis counter-attacks.