TUNISIAN SITUATION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 February 1943, Page 4

TUNISIAN SITUATION

DETERIORATED SOMEWHAT BUT OFF-SET BY EIGHTH ARMY. WHICH CONTINUES TO ADVANCE. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, Noon.) LONDON, February 17. The situation in Tunisia at the moment appears to have deteriorated somewhat but this is offset by the Eighth Army’s seizure of Bengardane and its continued advance towards Medenine. Correspondents report that fierce tank battles are raging on the outskirts of Sbeitla, to which,the weight of the onslaughts of Rommel’s veteran panzers pushed back the Americans. Reuter’s correspondent at Algiers says that the Americans at Sbeitla today are meeting a renewed thrust from the German armoured /forces, while further south of Gafsa the Afrika Korps and panzers are striking for Feriana. Both thrusts represent big advances. The German movement is clearly made with the object of clearing the coastal passage for the Afrika Corps. The British United Press correspondent says that it is believed that the Americans will be forced to withdraw from Feriana to the high hills northward unless the powerful German drive is halted. The Associated Press of Great Britain says: “With the American tenure at Sbeitla extremely uncertain Rommel during the last three days has been using a number of huge Mark-6 tanks and tanks salvaged from Libya and has pushed the Axis front thirtyfive miles westward from the Faid Pass. The Americans, resisting with General Grants and Shermans, received the great part of their battering from dive-bombers.