TO ENEMY DEFENSIVE POSITIONS IN TUNISIA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 April 1943, Page 3

TO ENEMY DEFENSIVE POSITIONS IN TUNISIA

Allied Progress in Most Sectors VIGOROUS AIR ONSLAUGHT CONTINUED NINETEEN AXIS FIGHTERS SHOT DOWN OVER SARDINIA LONDON, April 15. The Allied forces in Tunisia are still making progress in most sectors. Since the Mareth Line was attacked more than 30,000 Axis prisoners have been captured. As the Allied armies are getting ready for the final struggle, the United States Secretary of War, Mr Stimson, has an idea of the opposition still facing the Allied forces. Mr Stimson was speaking in Washington to correspondents. Y He said the Axis forces now contained in the north-eastern ' tip of Tunisia were estimated to number between 175,000 and 200,000 men. The enemy possessed favourable positions, with two harbours and about a dozen airfields. On the other hand, the Allies were numerically stronger and had air superiority. There were no indications that the Axis forces were planning a major evacuation. They might try a progressive evacuation. Yesterday, the Allied forces continued to advance on most sectors. There was nothing to report from the Eighth Army s front, where contact is being maintained with the enemy defences near Enfidaville. On the left flank, the French have advanced seven miles and are now driving across to a ridge of hills which commands Pont du Fahs. In the northern sector, infantry of the First Army have captured an important hill eight miles north-west of Medjez el Bab. . Allied aircraft continue their attacks on enemy airfields. The attacks are being made over a wide area, extending to Sardinia. Over Sardinia, enemy fighters tried to interfere and 19 of them were shot down.