FIRST ARMY THRUST

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 April 1943, Page 4

FIRST ARMY THRUST

DANGER TO AXIS REAR IN TUNISIA

RECOGN'SED BY GERMAN COMMENTATOR.

AFRIKA KORPS GRIPPED BY EIGHTH ARMY.

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, April 26. The battle for the Goubellat Gap is nearing the end of its fourth day, but is raging with undiminished ferocity. “The tempo of this bitter battle is mounting hourly, as British armour develops strength and mobility,’’ reports Reuter’s correspondent with the First Army.

The Berlin radio’s commentator, Captain Sertorius, describes the First Army's thrust as a dangerous British move, aimed at the rear of the Italian and German army facing the Eighth Army. He adds: “The British are fighting with fanatical zeal, pouring in troops with as little thought for losses as the Russians.” A Reuter correspondent says General Alexander Army's Group has maintained steady progress in all sectors, along the shrinking German defence line. Allied armour is at grips with the panzers in the vital central sector. The British tanks have fanned out north and south of the Kourzia salt marsh. British infantry captured the height of Sidi Marrour, six miles east of Bou Arada. Tanks followed the infantry and the enemy suffered severe losses of men and armour. The Exchange-Telegraph Agency’s correspondent says one of our armoured divisions advanced two miles northeast of Lake Sebkretel Kourzia. Another moved north. The enemy realised the importance of this thrust and committed almost all his armour to this vital area.

Following up their capture of Jebel Mansour, French troops captured Jebel Cherich. They are now on the plain, 3> miles from Pont du Fahs. The Algiers radio stated that the Afrika Korps yesterday threw in its main tank reserves in an effort to stem the advance of the Eighth Army, which is .now approaching the second’ German Enfidaville defences.

FRENCH SUCCESSES

DRIVE ON PONT DU FAHS.

ADVANCE OF FIFTEEN MILES

IN 40 HOURS.

(British Official Wireless.) J (Received This Day, 11.0 a.m.) RUGBY, April 26. A French North African communique states that, following on their capture of Jebel Mansour, French troops are exploiting their successes. They have pursued the enemy without respite and are not giving him a chance to rearrange his positions. At the end of the

day French elements had gained a foothold on the plain of Pont du Fahs, advancing to three miles from that place, and thus effected a total advance of about 15 miles into German positions during the

fighting of the last 40 hours. In the mountainous region east of the El Khebir Range, the strong positions of Jebel Djerid were captured this morning. Numerous prisoners •jyere taken and a considerable amount of -booty.

A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT. The First Army’s advance from Medjez has been a great achievement —cne of the finest achievements of the war—declared a commentator, broadcasting from North Africa. The advance was not spectacular in terms cf distance, being only about ten miles in two days, but in those two days the British infantry and ' guns smashed through what may well prove tc be the strongest prepared defensive position in Tunisia. The commentator described the British advance as the first real crack in the German protective shell, but added: “Don’t let us forget that the animal inside is not so soft a fighter. To" crack this shell, our guns fired 100,000 rounds a day and our infantry" had to take one prepared position after another, trenches, pillboxes, machine-gun nests, and infantry ■ posts sunk into rock on the reverse slopes of .hills —very difficult' to find and almost impossible to destroy. No troops ever fought more desperately than the Germans.”