SOUTH TUNISIAN DEFENCES

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 102, 25 January 1943, Page 5

SOUTH TUNISIAN DEFENCES

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. January 22. Commenting on Rommel’s retreat, the Timos” writes’. — “It tins long appeared probable that the enemy is milking for southern Tuuisna. imposing as much delay upon the Eighth Army as lie safely could without risking a miiior engagement. Of late. perlmps flic need to get to his battle station loomed larger in the estimation of Rommel than his aim of hampering General Montgomery. The Mnretli Line is thus brought back into the picture after a long period of oblivion. , , .... “It wns originally a respectable tortiliciition. 80 miles west of the Libyan Irontier. blocking the plain through which the const road runs. Its right flnnlt lay upon wooden heights, along which it probably extended in skeleton form, but the zone was demilitarized in 1940 and the fortifications were to be dismantled. Exactly what resulted is not known. In any ease tlio line was not built Io withstand Ui<* weight of metal Montgomery van tiring against it. A strong defence exists in the neighbourhood of Gal es, and whether or not Rommel hopes to keep that port open, it seems highly desirable from the point of view of the Axis that he should try to keep Stax and Sousse in use.”