OFFENSIVE BEGUN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 March 1943, Page 3

OFFENSIVE BEGUN

WHICH WILL END IN BERLIN DECLARATION BY GENERAL GIRAUD. ALLIED CHIEFS WATCH ATTACK ON GAFSA. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 20. Allied headquarters reveal that Lieu-tenant-General Einsenhower, General Alexander, Major-General Patton (the American tank commander), and General Giraud watched the recapture of Gafsa from forward positions. All the generals have now returned to their bases. A message on the previous day disclosed that “Two-Gun” Patton, the vigorous and somewhat picturesque leader of the attack on Casablanca, who is a tank expert, is in command of the American troops in Tunisia. The Morocco radio says that General Giraud, when visiting wounded in Algiers, said. “The Italians and Germans at Gafsa ran away quicker than they came. We are witnessing the beginning of the offensive which will end in Ber I in.” - The roads today still showed evidence of yesterday’s heavy falls, and in places are almost impassable for ordinary motor traffic. Though the advance and the recapture of the ground which had been lost a month ago was essentially an American effort, the correspondent says that some British units have taken part, including a famous yeomanry regiment of armoured cars which has been at the forefront throughout the North African campaign. They acted as scouts covering the flank, during the capture of Gafsa and they continue to comb the hills to the east, keeping an eye on the enemy patrols. The Algiers radio says that 'the Eighth Army ganed some ground east of the Mareth line after a bayonet attack. Berlin radio says that the Mareth line cannot be regarded as tank-proof. The defences were originally intended for Italian attacks from Tripolitania, and they are not up to date.