SLIGHT ADVANCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 March 1943, Page 3

SLIGHT ADVANCE

MADE BV BRITISH TROOPS IN NORTH TUNISIA OCCUPATION OF COMMANDING RIDGE. ENEMY AIRCRAFT SHOT DOWN BY DESTROYERS. LONDON, March 16. British troops in Northern Tunisia have advanced slightly and occupied a flooded ridge four miles south-past of Tamer a. No enemy resistance was met with and the British troops found that the Germans had already withdrawn further east, to high ground overlooking the road to Sed Jenane. The ridge occupied by the British troops also overlooks an important road —that running to Beja. In the Gafsa area, in Southern Tunisia, Allied guns successfully broke up some enemy armoured car patrols. There is nothing to report from the Eighth Army. When four Axis aircraft tried to attack an Allied convoy off Tripoli, at least two were shot down by a British destroyer. Another force of enemy planes tried to bomb a convoy off the Tunisian coast. A destroyer shot down one enemy aircraft into the sea. MANY AIR ATTACKS LAND & SEA TARGETS, (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.5 a.m.) RUGBY, March 16. An Allied North African communique reports: “An enemy airfield on the railway between Gafsa and Sfax was twice attacked yesterday by formations of medium bombers, with fighter escorts. On both raids bombs were seen to burst all over the airfield and among grounded aircraft. Four enemy fighters were destroyed in combat. , “Heavy bombers attacked a convoy between Tunisia and Sicily. A direct hit was scored on one vessel. “The Western Desert Air Force attacked enemy transport. “From all these operations two aircraft are missing.” ENEMY WITHDRAWAL AFTER BEING ATTACKED BY PATROLS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10 a.m.) RUGBY, March 16. Further news of yesterday’s Northern Africa operations comes from a correspondent at headquarters, who says: “The enemy has been heavily attacked by our patrols and has now withdrawn to high ground on the other side of the Sed Jenane Road. We reoccupied a woody ridge about five miles south-west of Tamara. This represents a slight advance, as we are still holding the Jemel Abbio. There has been considerable patrol activity south of the road from Metlaoui to Gafsa, where the French are co-operat-ing. Fighting with the new equipment and artillery recently supplied them, they dispersed a strong enemy patrol. On the Eighth Army front there is little activity outside several sweeps by Warhawks, escorted by Spitfires, which attacked enemy vehicles on a road leading to the front.”