RING ROUND ROMMEL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 April 1943, Page 4

RING ROUND ROMMEL

TIGHTENING INEXORABLY FIRST ARMY GAINS MONTGOMERY MAKING FULL PREPARATION. FOR CULMINATING ATTACK. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.30 a.m.) - LONDON, April 15. The First Army yesterday captured Sidi Nsir station. An important feature captured by the First Army, referred to in a communique, was a hill eight miles north of Medjez el Bab, and about five miles from the road running from Medjez el Bab to Tebourba. “The ring around Rommel’s army is inexorably tightening,” declared the Algiers radio. “All the Sousse plain, between the mountain spine and Enfidaville, is now ours, having been completely cleared of the enemy. The Eighth Army vanguards are ceaselessly making contact with the enemy in the Djebel Bouhajar. The Allied air forces are relentlessly bombing the few aerodromes left in German hands; also Bizerta and Tunis harbours. The air offensive against Sicily and Southern Italian bases is developing with a violence never before attained.” The radio says the Axis, in the past 24 hours, has lost 84 planes, and in the past 16 days has lost a total of 414 planes in air combats. The British United Press Algiers correspondent says that, according to the latest report from the front, nothing will shake General Montgomery from the practice of preparing fully before hitting. The Eighth Army is still the main fighting force in Tunisia. There seems to be little doubt that it will have the lion’s share in the final attacks against Rommel.

IMPORTANT PROGRESS MADE BY FIRST ARMY AND FRENCH. (Received This Day, 11,5 a.m.) LONDON, April 15. . ._. “The Allied forces continued their steady pressure on most sectors of the Tunisian front today,” says Reuter’s Algiers correspondent. The bulge which ’ yesterday extended westward, between Medjez El Bab and Cap Serrat, has been punched out almost to a straight line as a result of the First Army’s gains north of the Oued ZargaMedjez Road. The French forces, pushing northwards into the mountains in the Pont du Fahs area, are steadily battening the larger Axis bulge from south of Enfidaville to Medjez el Bab. Their push along the eastern range has . brought them to Jebel Nefsouf, which means that they have covered seven miles in the past two days. These French forces at present stand only 15 miles south of Pont du Fahs. The coas- - -tai plain runs 40 miles north of Tunis from the Pont du Fahs Pass. The Al~Hied line now starts four miles east of ” Cap Serrat and thence runs roughly ...south, close to Sidi Nsir. It turns southwest just north of Medjez el Bab, and "then continues almost due south to seven miles south-west of Bourada, before swinging east almost straight to Enfidaville. “The line of prepared positions facing General Montgomery’s forces, < which yeste/day ran west and then south-west from the coast, today runs t almost due west from the sea, pivoted ; on Enfidaville, to the mountain range on which the French are fighting.” The British United Press Algiers cor- , respondent states that the enemy still holds Enfidaville.

J AIR OFFENSIVE CONTINUED WITH FULL VIGOUR. ■■ IN AFRICA AND ACROSS «. R MEDITERRANEAN. ■> — . (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.15 a.m.) RUGBY, April 15. Emphasising the weight of the Allied air offensive in North Africa yesterday, a correspondent at Head- . quarters says: "Troop concentrations and motor transport were again heavily bombed. Flying Fortresses made a heavy raid on Elmas and Monserrato, in Sardinia, and on the El Aouina airfield, near Tunis. French bombers co-operat-ed with the British in one attack, battering the landing grounds at La Sebala and St. Marie, 20 miles north of Enfidaville. Fires were started everywhere, and a great number of aircraft on the ground were destroyed. “In defence of Sardinia the enemy, sent up 50 to 60 fighters to attack Flying Fortresses. In Tunisia yet another Flying Fortress formation bombed Aouina aerodrome, one Fortress gunner alone shooting down seven Messerschmitt 109’s. Besides these attacks, widespread operations were conducted . by other air force formations.” HEADQUARTERS REPORT SURVEY OF OPERATIONS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.40 a.m.) RUGBY, April 15. A North African communique states: “Our troops have continued their advance in most sectors. French forces continued their successful advance in the range of hills on the west of the Enfidaville line yesterday, capturing over 400 prisoners. The First Army continued their attacks northward of Medjez El Bab and captured an important feature, over difficult country, in the face of strong opposition, capturing over 200 prisoners. “Since the start of the attack on the Mareth positions our forces have now ■ captured over 30,000 prisoners, including 7,000 Germans. From the Eighth Army front, where our troops are in •

contact with the enemy on the Enfidavilie line, there is nothing to report. “On Tuesday night strong forces of . light and medium bombers attacked ; enemy airfields in Tunisia and left a number of fires burning. Yesterday Flying Fortresses continued these at- . tacks, ranging as far as Sardinia. Bombs were seen to burst among grounded aircraft'. Strong formations Of fighters were encountered over these targets and the bombers dei stroyed 19 of them, without loss. A number of vehicles were destroyed in ■ attacks on enemy positions and trans- , port and two more enemy fighters ;■ were destroyed. Eight of our aircraft !■ are missing.” The French are meeting strong resistance in the hills on the left flank

of the Enfidaville line, according to correspondents’ reports. Strong resistance has also been encountered seven miles north-west of Medjez El Bab, which itself is an indication that the salient gained by the enemy last month between Medjez and Sed Jenane has been much reduced. COMMANDO LANDING BEHIND GERMAN LINES IN TUNISIA. REPORTED BY BERLIN RADIO. (Received This Day, 12.50 p.m.) LONDON, April 15. The Berlin radio stated that a junction between the forces of Rommel and von Arnim had come into full strategic effect only in the past few days. The cautious movements of the British, American and French troops showed, it was added, that General Eisenhower’s commanders realised that they had dealt thus far only with Axis covering forces. “It is natural,” the Berlin radio added, “that the enemy should be making thorough preparations for the forthcoming encounter. The Vichy radio quoted,, a German military spokesman as saying: “The Eighth Army tanks have come up with the vanguards. We expect Montgomery to launch an attack soon, in order not to give Rommel time to consolidate. Montgomery seems to be only awaiting the arrival of reserves, which are moving up from the south.” A British commando landing behind the Axis lines in the Cap Serrat area on the night of April 14 is announced by the Berlin radio, which claimed that the attack was repulsed. The radio said: “Coastal defenders observed the enemy in good time and allowed the commandos to reach the shore under the impression that the beach was undefended. The British brought up all their equipment and cut a gap through the barbed wire entanglements. Our defences then opened a devastating crossfire from mortars and machine-guns. The British, taken by surprise, retreated in panic to their boats, leaving dead and wounded. The boats. escaped under cover of darkness, though they were hit several times.”