TIGHTENING APACE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 April 1943, Page 3

TIGHTENING APACE

ALLIED GRIP ON ENEMY IN TUNISIA Eighth Army Speeding North Beyond Sfax DRIVE INTO AXIS FLANK WEST OF SOUSSE MANY GERMAN TRANSPORT PLANES DESTROYED LONDON, April 11. Allied troops in Tunisia are rapidly converging on the enemy’s main forces, which are already north of Sousse. The Allied forces which stormed the Fondouk Pass are now battering their way towards Kairouan, 30 miles west of Sousse. Tne British Eighth Army, coming up from the south, was yesterday reported 27 miles north of Sfax. The enemy lost 27 more aircraft in the North African theatre today. This total includes 21 transport planes. * The British Eighth Army is rushing on towards Sousse and towards the point where it will link up with men of the British First Army, who have smashed through the i ondouK Pass and are now reported at the gates of Kairouan. The First Army’s advance patrols are believed to be not more than 30 miles away from those of the Eighth Army.ROMMEL IN FULL FLIGHT

General Montgomery’s men are now well north of Sfax and had reached a place 50 miles south of Sousse at sundown yesterday and since then they have been sweeping on across the open plains. Eommel is in full flight to the north, with the main part of his troops well north of Sousse. The enemy has no real defensive position until he comes to a ridge of hills about 25 miles north of Sousse. Rommel has moved so fast that he has probably evaded the threat to his flank by the Allied troops pushing towards Kairouan. The Allied forces, which broke through the strongly defended and heavily mined Fondouk Pass, sent out patrols north, south and east across the plain. Many prisoners were taken, certainly running into hundreds. About midday British tanks were reported six or seven miles from Kairouan, where they ran into 30 German tanks. A correspondent says he did not hear the result of this clash but it is pretty certain the enemy was heavily outnumbered. While tanks and patrols are advancing along the main road, British infantry are clearing the enemy out of the hills to the left of the road. The Germans are leaving much booty behind in their retreat from Fondouk, including anti-tank guns.

ROMMEL IS STILL TRYING TO GET PETROL AND OTHER SUPPLIERS FROM ITALY BY AIR. LIGHTNINGS TODAY SHOT DOWN 21 MORE TRANSPORT PLANES, AND ON TOP OF 40 DESTROYED YESTERDAY, SEVENTY-NINE OF THESE TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT HAVE BEEN LOST IN THE LAST SIX DAYS.

At the north end of the front the First Army’s offensive in the Medjez el Bab area has been successfully completed. Another place was captured yesterday and more prisoners were taken.