LIGHT AMERICAN FORCES GIVE GROUND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 February 1943, Page 3

LIGHT AMERICAN FORCES GIVE GROUND

Gafsa Oasis Occupied by Germans EIGHTH ARMY ADVANCING ON MARETH LINE NAPLES AND PALERMO AGAIN HEAVILY BOMBED LONDON, February 16. In Central Tunisia bitter fighting between the Americans and Axis troops is continuing at certain points along a 50-mile front. Today’s news from General Eisenhower’s headquarters states that small enemy forces last night entered the oasis of Gafsa, which marks the southern end of the 200-mile Allied line running down through Tunisia from the Mediterranean coast. Correspondents at Allied Headquarters say the American withdrawal from Gafsa was not unexpected. The whole southern extremity of the Allied line was held with limited men and armour and when one of the two panzer attacks threatened to cut off these forces they pulled out and took up strong positions further to the north-west. Another correspondent states that the main battle is now raging further north, where the Americans face the second panzer thrust, which came through the Paid Pass on Sunday. Bitter fighting is going on round Sidi Bousid, a road junction of some importance. The Americans still hold the hills to the north and south-east. In south-eastern Tunisia, advance forces of the British Eighth Army are now in touch with the enemy to the west of Ben Gardane, the first Tunisian town to be captured by the Eighth Army. It stands 2$ miles inside the border. In Southern Italy, Naples had another heavy bombing raid just as dusk was falling yesterday, Liberators that went there started big fires along the waterfront and scored direct hits on two merchant ships. Enemy fighters came up and the Liberators shot down four and crippled at least six more. One Liberator failed to return. Pahrmo, in Sicily, also had a visit yesterday from American Flying Fortresses. The Italians state that great damage was done at both places.