ESCAPE BLOCKED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 January 1943, Page 3

ESCAPE BLOCKED

BV ALLIED AIRCRAFT SMALL PORT OF ZUARA BLASTED BY PLANES. AND SHELLED BY LIGHT ' NAVAL FORCES. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, January 23. Rommel's rearguard desperately tried to stage a miniature Dunkirk, by getting out of Zuara (about 60 miles west of Tripoli) in small ships. Allied fighters and bombers caused havoc among the evacuees when they dropped bombs among the small craft huddled in the harbour. There is a good road as far as Zuara, but beyond that it tails off into an indifferent track to the Tunisian frontier. Our fighters and bombers day and night, are blowing craters along the whole length of the road, and our light bombers are particularly active in the Ben Gardane area, where the dense traffic is entering Tunisia. A bombed Axis petrol-carrier is typical of the havic caused. It exploded and set on fire 20 vehicles round it. Immediately after an Italian communique broke the news of Tripoli's fall to the Italians, the Rome radio stated: ‘The great battle which Italy has fought in the last 32 months on the African coasts and in the Mediterranean has now ended.” The ■ aeronautical correspondent of the “Daily Herald” says: “It will be only a matter of days before the Eighth Army’s air force —probably the largest, strongest ,and most experienced air unit outside Russia-jwill be ready to concentrate on Tunisia. Already Rommel’s retreating columns are being subjected to a non-stop air attack. Practically the entire coast-line west of Tripoli is admirably suited for landing grounds from which even four-engined bombers can operate. Twin-engined bombers and fighters, flying from any i airfield in this stretch, can easily strafe Tunis, 300 air miles north-west of Tripoli. “Bombs and bullets will follow Rommel right into Tunisia, and after that perhaps the greatest combined air offensive that has ever been launched will begin on the Axis armies in Tunisia. There is reason to believe that the Allied air forces in Tunisia have conserved their strength for that precise moment.” The Admiralty states: “Early this morning, light forces of the Royal Navy carried out a bombardment of the small port of Zuara. Good results were achieved, large fires and explosions being observed. His Majesty’s ships suffered neither casualties nor damage.” Zuara is 35 miles from the Tunisian frontier. The port'accommodates little vessels up to 750 tons, and the town, which is built round an oasis, is principally a military station.