; and (ii) disbanded on October 18, 1943. (3) The first combat operations of Army Rangers occurred on August 19, 1942, when 50 Rangers took part in the British-Canadian raid on the French coastal town of Dieppe. (4) The 1st Ranger Battalion, under the leadership of Major William O. Darby, was used in full strength during the landings at Arsew, Algeria, during the North African campaign. Due to the success of the Rangers in several difficult battles, particularly at El Guettar in March and April of 1943, 2 additional Ranger Battalions were organized in North Africa. (5) During the North African campaign, the 1st Ranger Battalion was awarded battle honors for its actions in Tunisia. On March 18, 1943, the Battalion penetrated enemy lines and captured the position Djebel el Auk in a nighttime attack, taking more than 200 prisoners. Two days later, the battalion was attacked by the 10th Panzer division of the German Afrika Korps and, despite heavy losses, continued to defend its position. The following day, the 1st Battalion counterattacked to clear high ground overlooking the positions held by the Armed Forces. These actions demonstrated the ability of the Rangers to fight in difficult terrain and the courage to endure despite being outnumbered and exposed to heavy enemy fire. (6) The 29th provisional Ranger Battalion was formed from volunteers drawn from the 29th Infantry Division stationed in England in the fall of 1942. The Battalion was activated on December 20, 1942, and accompanied British commandos on 2 small-scale raids in Norway. Nineteen members of the 29th Ranger Battalion conducted a raid on a German radar site in France on the night of September 3, 1943. After that raid, the 29th Ranger Battalion was disbanded because new Ranger units, the 2nd and 5th Battalions, were being formed. (7) During the summer and fall of 1943, the 1st, 3rd, and 4th Ranger Battalions were heavily involved in the campaign in Sicily and the landings in Italy. The 1st and 4th Ranger Battalions conducted a night amphibious landing