TAKROUNA ENCIRCLED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 April 1943, Page 3

TAKROUNA ENCIRCLED

THRUSTS BY NEW ZEALAND DIVISION DEEP INTO ENEMY DEFENCES. AGAINST STRONG OPPOSITION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. In a lengthy dispatch sent off from north of Sousse on April 20, the New Zealand Official War Correspondent gives an account of attacks in which New Zealand troops, in the night of April 19, struck deep into enemy defences on either side of the village of Takrouna, which is perched on a crag about four miles west of Enfidaville. On the west of the village the New Zealanders advanced on a front of about 5,000 yards and struck strong opposition almost from the time they left the starting line. “Our troops advancing nearest/ the coast outflanked Takrouna after passing over the ruins of the old Roman aqueduct across which our engineers earlier had thrown ramps,” the correspondent states. “This second formation lapped round the eastern flank of the Takrouna crag, cutting its way in the process through a high hedge of giant cactus. Both forces encountered mines in some sections and met heavy shelling, mortar and small-arms fire. By dawn the formation on the right had gained both its objectives. The men on the left, although they had not secured the position on the summit of Takrouna, had partially enveloped the feature and advanced approximately the same distance to the north. One of our formations met entirely German opposition and captured prisoners. The others encountered Italians, supported by Germans, and strongly backed by well-sited gun positions, but before midnight both formations were able to pass through to the enemy’s flank. In an engagement of this nature and in this class of country a price had to be paid for the advance. The casualties cannot be considered heavy in view of the stiffness of the opposition and the strong natural defences.”

ENEMY WELL BEATEN IN SHARP & HARD-FOUGHT BATTLE. SPLENDID WORK OF ALLIED TANKS & GUNS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10 a.m.) RUGBY, April 23. An enemy loss of 34 tanks in the Tuesday-Wednesday battle with the First Army is reported by a correspondent at Medjez el Bab, in a delayed message which adds: “Our 25-pound-ers, firing over open sights at close range, again did wonderful work, accounting for at least eleven enemy tanks. An enemy thrust up the Goubellat Road was made just before dawn on Wednesday by motorised infantry and forty tanks. Our troops held their fire till the last moment. The enemy came into a bowl in and around which were many of our guns. Very soon several of the enemy vehicles were flaming wrecks. Then our tanks came into the bowl, and amid clouds of dust sent shells whizzing into the enemy armour. The British tanks got through the enemy tanks, aiming at the German infantry, many of whom were killed by the tanks’ light machineguns. The enemy tried to bring mortars into- action, but with little success. Eventually they broke up, retreating out of .the bowl and leaving many tanks knocked out, including some heavies. Several small groups of enemy infantry succeeded in getting into the hills around the bowl, forming little pockets of resistance, but our infantry, supported by tanks, quickly cleared them out. The battle was sharp and hard for four hours. The enemy guns gave their troops little support, whereas our guns put down a heavy .barrage.” NAPLES BOMBED BY MIDDLE EAST AIRCRAFT. DAMAGE IN TOWN & HARBOUR AREAS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 22. A Middle East Air communique states that on Tuesday night R.A.F. bombers attacked Naples. Bombs burst on the quays and the town area, starting two fires near oil installations, all our aircraft returned safely. ROMMEL REPORTED SICK VON ARNIM COMMANDING ' AFRIKA KORPS. NEW YORK, April 22. Field-Marshal Rommel has returned to Germany as a severe case of malarin and nervous breakdown. The Stockholm correspondent of the “New York Times” quotes military sources in Berlin for this statement. He adds that General von Arnim .has taken command of the Afrika Korps.