STILL ATROCIOUS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 January 1943, Page 4

STILL ATROCIOUS

WEATHER CONDITIONS IN TUNISIA TWELVE INCHES OF SLIME ON GROUND. BUT ALLIES. MAKING DAMAGING AIR ATTACKS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.25 a.m.) RUGBY, January 27. “Weather conditions in Tunisia remain atrocious,” said a R.A.F. spokesman. “There are now twelve inches of slime on the ground, almost insuperably impeding all movement. Spasmodic rain is likely to continue until the end cf February, but from now on the spells should grow less frequent and effective operations should be practicable shortly. “The changeo will greatly affect the work of the R.A.F.,” the spokesman added, “but the nature of the campaign will necessitate the closest cooperation of land, sea and air forces. Despite weather handicaps, the success of naval and air attacks on enemy shipping and on Sicily and Tunisia has been highly significant. The enemy undoubtedly has received far fewer reinforcements and supplies than was anticipated. The Tunis and Bizerta harbours also have been heavily bombed, especially by Flying Fortresses, but they have not been stopped from working . It is a slow process to put a military port entirely out of action.” ALLIED GAINS IN CENTRAL TUNISIA. LAND AND AIR OPERATIONS. (British Official Wireless.) . (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) RUGBY, January 27. An Allied North Africa headquarters communique states: “In the Ousseltia Valley, and in the mountains to the east, Allied forces have, regained some of the positions captured by the enemy in recent operations. These positions are being consolidated. Two of a small force of enemy fighterbombers which attacked an airfield were destroyed. We lost two planes during the day. “Last night a small number of enemy aircraft dropgped bombs in, the Algiers area. Two of the bombers were destroyed.” According to agency reports, American troops are operating east and north-east of the Ousseltia Valley in a region about 40 miles west of the Gulf of Hammamet. ROMMEL’S RETREAT BATTLE ON MARETH LINE x PREDICTED BY PARIS RADIO (Received This Day, 1.5 p.m.) LONDON, January 27. The Eighth Army is approaching the Mareth Line, where Rommel massed his Afrika Korns, says the Germancontrolled Paris radio. A battle is expected soon near Gabes, 21 miles northwest of the coastal end of the Mareth Line. It is believed in London that Rommel is unlikely to attempt anything more than a rearguard fight on the Mareth Line with the remnants of his army, which now possibly totals 40,000 to 50,000. It is not sound, from a military viewpoint, for two comparatively small forces, like Rommel’s and Von Arnim’s, to fight 200 miles apart. Undoubtedly the Axis aim is to effect a of the two armies. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Algiers correspondent says the Germans, after five days of bitter fighting, widened their original 33-mile bottleneck between Pont du Fahs and the coast into a 45mile strip. This will be the corridor through which Rommel hopes to bring his harried troops to temporary sanctuary.