AMERICAN TRIBUTE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 March 1943, Page 3

AMERICAN TRIBUTE

ONE OF WAR’S DECISIVE BATTLES WON BY STAYING POWER AND LEADERSHIP. WITH MAGNIFICENT AIR SUPPORT. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) NEW YORK, March 30. “In breaking through the Mareth Line, General Montgomery's forces have won one of the war's decisive battles by sheer staying power, excellence and quality of equipment, supreme co-operation between the army and air force units, and first-rate generalship,” says Mr Sulzberger, correspondent of the “New York Times.” “So far there is no indication as to where Rommel’s battered army may seek to make a stand. “Employing sound strategical and tactical concepts, the wiry, determined General Montgomery has again succeeded in smashing his skilled opponent by a combination of frontal and flanking attacks, achieving a success even greater than at El Alamein. Not only has Rommel been forced to withdraw from the Mareth area, but also the formidable triangular range of mountains between Zeltane, Toujane and Matmata has been entirely abandoned. “Rommel is now falling back from Gabes, to the north of which runs a military Gethsemane composed of a series of Allied strongpoints at El l Guetar, Maknassi and Fondouk. “The Germans, apparently nervous about the First Army’s steady progress in the Jebel Abiod region, counter-at-tacked sharply but were driven off and the advance continues. “Without minimising the enormous credit that should be accorded the Eighth Army, one" should not forget their magnificent aerial support. It was the 2|-hour aeriM attack round El Hamma which facilitated breaking the enemy’s back. In spite of the strain of that terrible assault, Allied flyers continually persisted in their sallies against Rommel’s supply lines, ports and shipping all the way to Palermo, though again, as at El Alamein, the airmen were hampered by bad weather in attaining their full objective of total destruction.”