DRIVE ON TUNIS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 November 1942, Page 3

DRIVE ON TUNIS

ALLIES WITHIN 15 MILES OF CITV OCCUPATION OF IMPORTANT JUNCTION. BIZERTA ATTACKED HEAVILY BY AIR. LONDON, November 29. In North-Eastern Tunisia, General Anderson’s First Army, supported by American and Fighting French forces, has pressed on still further along the road to. Tunis and has occupied Djedida, a road and railway junction about 15 miles west of Tunis, standing on the only railway and on one of the two- main roads connecting Tunis and Bizerta. Further north, an important position has been occupied 30 miles west of Bizerta. Bizerta itself has again been attacked heavily by Allied bombers, which inflicted considerable damage in the dock area. In Libya there has been little news of ground fighting since the Eighth Army was reported to be feeling out the enemy’s defences in the El Agheila area, but our bombers have again attacked the landing ground at "Marble Arch,” west of El Agheila. In an earlier message, a correspondent with the First Army said General Anderson holds important passes in the Medjerda Mountains. Paratroops captured and held them for the arrival of ground troops. General Anderson also controls the skein of railways and first-class military roads along the Tunisian frontier.

Another correspondent says the French in North Africa are enthusiastic for the Allied cause. They are unearthing dusty uniforms, donning them, digging up aviation spirit from caches and producing military cars hidden for tw.o years. Allied Forces Headquarters states: “The Germans are generally on the defensive in the Tunisia area. In an effort to delay the progress of our troops the enemy is attempting to blow up bridges, roads and railways. Allied forces successfully repulsed a counterattack at Turburba, destroying 10 enemy tanks. Though weather conditions and muddy airfields have recently hampered air activity, Allied night fighters shot down four enemy planes which last night attempted to raid Algiers.” Turburba is 20 miles west of Tunis. In addition to Bizerta and Tunis, the enemy holds the more southerly ports of Sfax, Gabes, and, according to some reports, Sousse (says a British Official Wireless message).

NINE MORE AXIS SHIPS SUNK BY SUBMARINES. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REACH NORTH AFRICA. LONDON, November 29. The Admiralty states: “Submarines have sunk nine more enemy supply ships and damaged three others which attempted to cross the Mediterranean from Italy to reinforce and provision Axis forces in Tripolitania and Tunisia. One submarine also damaged an Italian destroyer of the Orion class. Among the ships sunk was a large twin-funnel passenger liner intercepted off the coast of Sicily, and a med-ium-sized landing craft carrier, sunk off the coast of North Africa. One of the damaged ships was a well-armed vessel of about 10,000 tons.