PHASE OF SIEGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 April 1943, Page 4

PHASE OF SIEGE

BEGUN IN TUNISIA AXIS FORCES THROWN BACK. INTO THE NORTHERN TIP. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.34 p.m.) LONDON, April 12. With the Axis forces feverishly preparing defence positions in the mountains covering Tunis and Bizerta, the first phase of the siege of the northern tip of Tunisia has begun. The latest report from Allied Headquarters in Algiers says the Afrika Korps is now 30 miles north of Sousse, with its rearguards scurrying through Enfidaville. The Rome radio military commentator declared that the Axis forces will fight to the end in positions the High Command has chosen. The Allies in all sectors in North Africa are pressing the Axis forces into the confined area around Tunis and Bizerta —the Tunisian tip—which seems destined to become the scene of the final act in the great North African drama. In sixteen days the Allied armies have captured over 16,000 square miles of territory (which is oneithird of the area of England),, and now, with Kairouan and Sousse in Allied hands, the Axis forces hold only a daily narrowing belt between the mountains and the sea. With its arrival at Sousse, which is a former Barbary pirates’ stronghold, the Eighth Army covered 80 miles from Sfax in 48 hours. The Eighth Army has now deprived Rommel of five of his best airfields. The docks at Sousse are reported to' have been set on fire, and the Germans also set fire to Kairouan before leaving, regardles of any feelings about its being a holy city. British troops of the First Army advanced several miles northwards in a new thrust in the area midway between Beja and Sidi Nzir, which began early yesterday. Other British forces continue to make good progress in the mountainous region north-west of Medjez el Bab. The Allied air forces in the past two days have shot down 85 Axis planes. The 41 destroyed yesterday included 30 transport aircraft. Since March 20, the Eighth Army has taken 20.000 prisoners. RACE FOR KAIROUAN. It was the First Army which took Kairouan. Units had been sent southward to deal with Axis forces around Kairouan, while Eighth Army patrols, fanning out into the plains on General Montgomery’s left flank, approached Kairouan from the south. The First Army won the race into Kairouan, which is fitting since it had done most of the fighting for the town, but the margin was narrow, because Eighth Army patrols were moving up a few miles south of the town when the first reconnaissance cars of the First Army entered. It is interesting to recall that the Eighth and First armies less than three weeks ago were over 250 miles apart. Fighting continued, after the entry into Kairouan, in the area east-north-east of the city, resulting in about 18 of 40 oi’ 50 enemy tanks being knocked out, and also in the capture of about 600 prisoners and twenty anti-tank guns, and the destruction of twenty lorries. The prisoners were mostly Italians from the Littoria Division. They complain bitterly that they had been abandoned by the Germans after being given the most dangerous positions. The Germans took all available lorries when they retreated. According to the Algiers radio, the Germans carried out large-scale demolition. at Sousse, as well as at Kairouan. They destroyed all wells and water reservoirs, blew up electric power stations and seven bakeries, and set on fire harbour and dock installations. AIRMEN’S GREAT DAY. Reports from Algiers indicate that the Allied air forces have been having field days, hammering Rommel’s columns and airfields. The Luftwaffe was unable to marshal sufficient air support to cover the fleeing Afrika Korps for a large part of its retreat north from Sfax. The ground staff, on arrival at the airfield at Sfax, found 24 burntout planes as a testimony to the accuracy of Allied bombing. Surrounding buildings were reduced to rubble, and laden trucks were still burning. A British United Press correspondent says the Axis has lost at least 89 transport planes and a hundred bombers and fighters over Tunisia since April 6, for the loss of only 33 Allied planes. The Algiers radio declared that the Luftwaffe and Italian air force had lost 1253 planes since the start of the Tunisian campaign. Our losses were 498 machines. A British United Press correspondent, in a despatch from Kairouan, says the people were dancing for joy as the Allies entered the city. Crowds gathered round the Town Hall and cheered while the tricolour was being hoisted. The Jews were told to take off the yellow star of David which the Germans forced them to wear as soon as they occupied the city. The correspondent adds that before leaving Kairouan the German garrison did all the damage possible, blew up the water supply plant, electricity works and other buildings, and also took off most of the cattle and whatever food they could ca?;ry. The British Captain E. G. Gibbons, who a few months ago received an offer of £lO,OOO for his battalion for Rommel’s capture, dead or alive, has been killed in action in North Africa. The offer was made by Captain Gibbons’s grandfather. ARMIES IN CONTACT MECHANISED CREWS MEET SOUTH OF KAIROUAN. AXIS AIR AND OTHER LOSSES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.50 a.m.) RUGBY, April 12. The Allied troops which smashed through Fondouk Pass entered Kairouan yesterday morning. The Eighth Army is pushing on beyond Sousse and a correspondent, describing the meeting of the British Eighth and First armies, says armoured car crews which had fought all the way from Egypt and men who had been fighting in North Africa for five months, linked up at noon yesterday, about 2Q miles southward of Kairouan. This was just over an hour after the First Army had entered Kairouan. The correspondent says the people of Kairouan were wild with enthusiasm. Rommel is still travelling out of reach as fast as he can, but near Kairouan some of the German tanks pulling out of the town northwards were not quick enough, and ten of

them were knocked out in a clash with Allied tanks. The main part of the Eighth Army is driving northward from Sousse, 30 miles eastward of Kairouan. Thus both Allied armies are now chasing Rommel northwards. The main attacking force of the First Army had already swung northward before a portion'of its troops entered Kairouan. The dwindling German bridgehead is also being attacked by General Anderson’s First Army forces in the north. They made more progress in the Medjez el Bab area in face of stiff opposition. It is officially stated that General Eisenhower’s Headquarters that the Axis has lost 1250 aircraft since the beginning of the North African campaign. against a loss of less than 500 Allied aircraft. FRENCH PROGRESS MOPPING UP IN MOUNTAINS(British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) RUGBY, April 12. A French North African communique states: “During the past few days French forces have mopped up practically the whole of the mountain region between Djebel Jerid and north of Pichon. French forces have taken possession of the highest peak of the Djeulat Pass, dominating the approaches to the plain of Kairouan.” ENEMY SHIPPING ALLIED AIR & SUBMARINE ATTACKS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) RUGBY, April 12. Fighter-bombers, intruders and torpedo aircraft have been in action during the past 24 hours in the Mediterranean, states a Malta message. A supply ship off Palermo was sunk and survivors were seen struggling in the water. Another supply ship was bombed in the Central Mediterranean, by torpedo-bombers of the Fleet Air Arm and appeared to be sinking. Before returning to Malta the bombers raked with machine-guns barges off Sicily. Road traffic at Mazzara and Repani was also gunned and a lorry was hit. The submarine attacks in which 15 Axis vessels were torpedoed, were carried out over a wide area, from the Lipari Islands, off the North African coast, to the south Calabrian coast and the approaches to Palermo Harbour. Of the fifteen vessels, eight, including three of medium size, were definitely sunk. Of the seven other vessels hit, three were large supply ships and one a large tanker. Although it was impossible to observe the full effect of these attacks, two of the three large supply ships are believed to have been sunk and the large tanker beached. A number of small vessels were also sunk in the Aegean Sea.