HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 April 1943, Page 3

HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL

MASS RAID ON SFAX AERODROME MANY other objectives ATTACKED. ENEMY DELAYING TACTICS IN NORTH AND SOUTH. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.10 a.m.) RUGBY, April 2. Describing the First Army’s advance northward and eastward beyond Sed Jenane, a war correspondent attached to Allied headquarters in North Africa, says the way in which the Germans are mining the ground, taking advantage of every wadi, swamp or ditch, shows that their main preoccupation is defence, and that their object is to thwart the thrust towards Mateur. In the meantime, Rommel is increasing his speed of retreat, leaving rearguards behind to fight delaying actions. The Americans, who made a wonderful fight in their first large action, gained valuable experience. They are now pushing back Axis forces despite the obstructions of mines and traps. Over 100 bombers joined in a raid yesterday. It was an Allied formation of the Desert Air Force, which included South African Bostons, R.A.F. Baltimores and United States Mitchells. The objective was the most important Sfax aerodrome at El Maou. It was the biggest daylight bombing raid of the Western Desert Air Force since El Alamein. The bombers were escorted by American Warhawks and South African, Australian and R.A.F. fighters flying Warhawks and Spitfires. The whole area of the aerodrome was covered with a pattern of bomb bursts. Fighters, whose main task was to observe, as the enemy did not interfere, reported that the bombing was excellent and that fires were started. Despite heavy flak the bombers and fighters returned without a single loss. Throughout the day, in fact, there were no reports of enemy air activity directed against the Eighth Army. It would appear that the blitz on enemy landing grounds in Southern Tunisia during the past few days has been very • effective. On the previous night objectives at Bizerta and Maruba were bombed by Wellingtons. Incendiaries and a number of 4000 pound bombs were dropped, but the weather did not favour close observation. American and R.A.F. pilots were off the ground at dawn to begin the day with intensive support for the Allied armies in the northern and central sectors. Hundreds of fighter sorties were flown and light bombers were escorted on bombing attacks on enemy aerodromes. Two important aerodromes, La Fauconnerie and El Djem were attacked by Bostons, escorted by Warhawks. Both these operations were successful and when a second wave arrived, the pilots could see clouds of smoke arising from the airfields. Spitfires, on offensive sweeps, strafed trucks and tanks in one formation and

saw a land-battle in progress east of El Guetar, where other fighters were operating. It was there that a Spitfire pilot flew into the tail of one of the enemy aircraft and cut it off. He made a forced landing. Three Junkers 88’s were destroyed during the flight and three more at Bou Hamran.