VERY EXACT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 March 1943, Page 3

VERY EXACT

GENERAL MONTGOMERY’S PLANS STRONG RESISTANCE OVERCOME IN ATTACK ALONG COAST. FIERCE CONTINUING STRUGGLE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.40 a.m.) RUGBY, March 23. Commenting on a North Africa communique statement that the Eighth Army operations are proceeding according to plan, a war correspondent says General Montgomery’s plans are very exact. He adds that the battle has developed into a two-pronged at-tack-one along the coast road to Gabes and the other a wide, outflanking movement, working round the Matamata Hills up through the desert, ' about 50 miles, towards El Hamma, which is 20 miles due west of Gabes. The British forces attacking along the coast had a very tough job. They had to cross the deep and difficult Wadi Zigzou, which runs' northeast from south of Mareth town to the coast. They forced their way across against the fiercest opposition and then had to fight through a complicated trench system and mop up every ma-chine-gun post. They did that and now they are approaching a strongly-held ridge ,of hills and fighting goes on ferociously. Meanwhile, another British force is making a great sweep across the desert, outflanking the Germans, and at 9.30 on Sunday attacked enemy positions 15 miles south-west of El Hamma. These positions were stoutly defended, for Rommel expected this “left hook” and our troops had to force gaps through minefields and antitank ditches, but by eleven on Monday morning they were only ten miles from El Hamma. While this stubborn battle was going on,’ the Americans, pushing out from Gafsa, occupied Maknassi, on the Mahares Road, and now they are pressing forward. On the Gafsa-Gabes Road, just to the south, there is patrol activity near El Guettar. In the north, where we are holding a line covering Jebel Abiod, on the Tamara-Beja road, guns are busy on both sides and our patrols are prodding at the enemy. All the while there is tremendous air activity. Our 24 hours a day air attack is being driven home more than ever. AXIS AIR WEAKNESS COMMENTED ON IN BRITAIN. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.40 a.m.) RUGBY, March 23. The slightness of enemy air opposition in the Mareth area is the subject of comment here, where it is considered that the strength of the direct R.A.F. attacks—comparable with those of the El Alamein battle—has a bearing on the situation. At the same’time the R.A.F’s. indirect support to the army by bombing convoys and communications /generally must draw off much of the enemy’s fighter strength and cut down his air power in the battle area.

GOOD PROGRESS

REPORTED BY ALLIED HEADQUARTERS. 1,700 PRISONERS TAKEN BY MONDAY. ’ (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.30 a.m.) RUGBY, March 23. The Eighth Army operations are proceeding satisfactorily and ac- . cording to plan, says a communique from Allied North African Headquarters. It adds: “The enemy is resisting strongly in the Mareth position. Heavy fighting continues. Seventeen hundred prisoners were captured by Monday midday. A heavy counter-attack yesterday afternoon was repulsed. 1 “In the Gafsa sector, our forces eastward of El Guettar carried out active patrolling.' Further north our troops occupied Maknassi and pushed a patrol forward toward the high ground to the east.”