AXIS IN TUNISIA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 March 1943, Page 4

AXIS IN TUNISIA

ROMMEL MAY ATTACK £ AGAIN '“ACCORDING TO AMERICAN CORRESPONDENT. IN SPITE OF RECENT ..Z DEFEATS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.—Copyright) .(Received This Day, 11.5 a.m.) LONDON, March 14. The Eighth Army at the weekend carried out large-scale reconnaissances of the Mareth Line. Reuter’o Algiers correspondent reports that fighters and bombers in . the past few days have replaced artillery for softening the Mareth Line positions. They scored direct hits on pillboxes and a number of anti-aircraft batteries were silenced. The “New York Times” correspondent, _Mr Drew Middleton, believes that - Rommel, who is full of fight, will make a fourth desperate attempt to staVe off inevitable defeat, probably on.a larger scale than the others. Mr Middleton sees a likelihood that Rommel will take another crack at the Eighth Army, hoping thereby to throw it into confusion and cripple its offensive. However, indications are that he will suffer such losses that General Montgomery will be able to hurl his own armoured divisions against the enemy, marking the last phase of the Tunisian operations. Mr Middleton thinks the Germans will be driven from Africa by the end of June, as a prelude to an attack on Southern Europe. Reuter’s correspondent in Algiers says a limited British push against von Arnim’s troops in the Sed Jenane area is progressing satisfactorily. The First Army’s object is to dislodge the enemy from high ground in the vicinity of Tamora. A small scale German attack further south, against Allied positions three miles north of Bouarada, was thrown back. The Algiers radio said the Germans lost 3,500 killed and wounded in their attack west of Sed Janane. The same radio also reported that French troops, after fierce hand-to-hand fighting, captured eleven parachutists attacking a train near Oran. PAUSE IN PREPARATION. /- (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.50 a.m.) RUGBY, March 14.. The pause in the North African ground operations, described here as a pause in preparation for the future,” is evident from an Allied Force communique which states: — “Eighth Army: In the past 24 hours there has been a slight increase in the enemy’s artillery activity in the northern sector. In the. south normal patrol activity continues. The Southern Algerian French forces continue to organise their recently gained positions. “First Army: In the southern and central sectors, normal patrol activity continues. In the north, a local enemy attack was repulsed'. “Bad weather restricted air operations yesterday. Sweeps and patrols were flown by our fighters in the northern and .central sectors, in the course of which enemy armoured vehicles were attacked. Western Desert AnForce bombers again attacked objectives in the Mareth positions. Fighters carried out patrols and sweeps during which four enemy fighters were destroyed. “From all operations, ten of our aircraft are missing.” Agency messages describe enemy anactiyity over the battle area as on an increased scale. R.A.F. light bombers over enemy positions did not, however, meet with opposition.