AXIS THRUST

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 February 1943, Page 3

AXIS THRUST

MAJOR PART OF ARMOUR USED BRITISH CHURCHILL TANKS DO WELL. FOUR TO ONE VICTORY OVER ENEMY, (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, February 24. Messages say that the Germans put everything they had into the latest push. The number of Axis tanks involved is estimated at 220 —the major part of their armour in North Africa. . British Churchill tanks, when they went into action for the first time in Tunisia, scored a four-to-one victory over German tanks Nine of ours met 14 enemy tanks driving along the road toward Sbeiba and knocked out four for the loss of one Churchill. Artillery duels continue in the south between Medenine and Mareth. One of the Washington correspondents of the “New York Times,” Charles Hurd, says that the fighting in west-, ern Tunisia, which was lately reported to have been stablised, now promises to become a battle of supply and transport. “News dispatches from the command headquarters in Tunisia and also Washington intelligence indicate that our forces before Tebessa have mustered sufficient force to hold the Germans, if not push them back,” he says. “The Germans, victorious in hardfought engagements, are holding territory which may be an embarrassment to them, as it was to our forces. Some supplies can reach the lines over the railway from Sousse, but when they pushed westward from Sidi Bouzaid, and from Pichon, 25 miles west of Kairwan, the Germans left in their rear the only highways which can be classed as main roads. “This means that supplies to the combat lines for up to 30 or 40 miles must be carried on mountain roads which are little better than trails. Thus, the Germans are depending on the same inadequate roads which were a large factor in the initial defeat of our forces. The Allies, in falling back, have approached better transportation facilities, including Tebessa, the terminal of two railways, and also reasonably good roads. The German Mark VI tank (“The Tiger”) is being used in Tunisia and has an 88-millimetre gun weighing about 11 tons. A single round of ammunition for it, about three feet long, weights 331 b. There are also two 7.92millimetre machineguns. The complete tank weighs 55 to 60 tons. The front shield is four inches thick and the sides are protected by plates 3.1 inches thick. i