FIRST REAL BREAK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 May 1943, Page 3

FIRST REAL BREAK

THROUGH THE ENEMY DEFENCES Axis Forces Pursued Beyond Mateur ONLY ONE ROAD NOW LINKING TUNIS AND BIZERTA FRENCH MAKING GOOD PROGRESS IN NORTH LONDON, May 3. AMERICAN TROOPS HAVE CAPTURED MATEUR, IN THE FIRST REAL BREAK THROUGH THE ENEMY DEFENCES IN RECENT FIGHTING. THIS IMPORTANT ROAD AND RAILWAY JUNCTION WAS TAKEN BY THE AMERICANS THIS MORNING AFTER HEAVY FIGHTING AND A RAPID TWELVE-MILE ADVANCE, DURING WHICH THEY CAPTURED HUNDREDS OF PRISONERS. THE AMERICANS ARE NOW BEYOND MATEUR, WITH THE ENEMY STILL ON THE RETREAT, HARASSED BY BOMBERS AND FIGHTERS. This Allied break through severs the chief road and railway link between Bizerta and Tunis. There is now only one main road between these two enemy bases and no railway connection. The Americans are only 20 miles from Bizerta, with the main highway in front of them.

The French have fought their way even closer to the great enemy base of Bizerta. They have advanced another four miles through rugged country and are now within 15 miles of Bizerta, This double Allied drive not only threatens to isolate the Axis forces in the Bizerta area, but also greatly increases the threat to Tunis.

In other sectors of the front the Allies find themselves before the last mountain positions of the enemy and it looks as if they will have to be wretsed one by one from him in order to penetrate to the coastal plain.

The French have made a further advance near Pont du Fahs. In one sector the Germans counter-attacked and forced a slight French withdrawal. This setback was more than coun-ter-balanced by a French success slightly to the north, where they captured an important height.