IN THE NORTH AFRICAN CAMPAIGN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 April 1943, Page 3

IN THE NORTH AFRICAN CAMPAIGN

Admiral Sir A. Cunningham’s Survey LOSSES OF ALLIED SHIPPING KEPT AT LOW LEVEL PROMISE OF DEATHBLOW IF ENEMY ATTEMPTS EVACUATION LONDON, April 16. While the Axis and Allied armies in Tunisia are getting ready for a big’ showdown, Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham, Commander-in-Chief of the Allied naval forces in the Mediterranean, has spoken of the part the Navy is playing and is going to play in driving the enemy from North Africa and the Mediterranean. He disclosed that last night two Italian destroyers were sunk off Sicily by two British destroyers. No other details of the action were given, except that the British destroyers suffered virtually no damage or loss of personnel. 1 Admiral Cunningham said that more than 10| million tons of Allied shipping had been employed in supplying the North African theatre. On one night alone in March more than a million tons of shipping had been in the area between Gibraltar and the main North African ports. Over all, the Allied losses had been under 2| per cent., which was. very satisfactory from the Allied point of view. Allied submarines had had a very good time in the past few weeks and had made some surprising bags. Admiral Cunningham said the Royal Navy was ready to give the death-blow to any attempt by the Axis to evacuate . its troops from North Africa. HEIGHT TAKEN BY FIRST ARMY The main news of the land fighting is from the northern sector, where General Anderson’s First Army captured an important height north of Medjez el Bab. It is a peak 2,000 feet high, eight miles north-west of Medjez el Bab. British infantry first captured it on Wednesday. The Germans coun-ter-attacked strongly yesterday morning, but were forced back. In the afternoon they tried again and this time recaptured the peak. Yesterday evening the British forces counter-attacked and regained the peak, together with further ground which they had not held before. . . On the Eighth Army front, running inland from the vicinity of Enfidaville, patrol work is reported. All day yesterday patrols were probing the enemy’s line. Bad weather has interfered with flying operations over Tunisia, but further afield heavy attacks continue. Four thousand pound bombs were among a great load of missiles dropped on three enemy airfields in Sardinia. American Liberators attacked targets in Sicily and other objectives were raided at night. Intruder aircraft from Malta shot up road and railway transport.