THREAT TO TUNIS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 April 1943, Page 4

THREAT TO TUNIS

APPROACHES TO VITAL ROAD.

HEAVY ALLIED AIR ATTACKS

(Received This Day. 11.45 a.m.) LONDON. April 26. The advance of the British armcured spearhead north-east of Kcurzia, through minefields and in face cf fierce opposition, brings it to less than ten miles from the road running between Tunis and Pont du Pahs.

The British infantry at 2 a.m. yesterday surged forward south-west, of Kourzia and seized the height of Sidi Marrour. The Germans promptly launched a heavy counter-attack, supported by panzers, but the counter-at-tack wilted under the combined blows of., the British infantry and heavy armour. The threat to the Tunis-Pont du Fahs Road, combined with the heavy pressure of the British in the Sidi Marrour area, and from the French in the Jebel Mansour area, apparently forced the Germans to make a general withdrawal south and southwest of Pont du Fahs. The Columbia Broadcasting System’s Algiers correspondent reports that the Americans in North Tunisia advanced another three miles towards Mateur, after clearing highly-fortified mountain positions nine miles east of Sed Jenane. The British in the Medjez el Bab area, after the capture of Heidous, advanced about five miles towards Tebourba;

Although the whole front is blanketed in low clouds and they are experiencing bad flying weather, the Allied air forces continue heavy at.fa'ijfcs against enemy transport and mountain-side fortifications.

ijjtfhe Algiers radio says severe tank “caiffialties were inflicted on the Ger■'mans who opposed the British breakthrough in the Goubellat area. It is estimated that 64 German tanks have been knocked out in the past three days.