THROWN BACK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 May 1943, Page 4

THROWN BACK

WHOLE AXIS LINE IN TUNISIA THREAT TO TUNIS GREATLY INCREASED. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) LONDON, May 3. Reuter’s correspondent at Allied Headquarters says the whole Axis line, from the sea in the north, has been flung back violently as a result of the capture of Mateur. The threat to Tunis is greatly increased and Bizerta is in danger of isolation.

General Alexander has expressed the greatest satisfaction that, after heavy fighting and a fifteen-mile advance, Mateur should have fallen to the Americans.

The Allied forces first occupied Mateur during the initial drive through Tunisia in November, but lost it on November 29, when the Germans coun-ler-attacked and drove us both from Mateur and Tebourba. The town of Mateur is situated a mile from the railway station. It is an important agricultural centre, with a normal population of 5,000. The Eighth Army is again about ten miles north of Enfidaville, after recapturing positions abandoned in the past few days under enemy pressure and pushing beyond a barrier of marshes. The Morocco radio reports that Italians have been withdrawn from all important sectors of the Tunisian front except in the north and replaced by Germans. WEDGE DRIVEN BETWEEN TUNIS & BIZERTA. BY THE AMERICAN CAPTURE OF MATEUR. (Received This Day, 12.50 p.m.) LONDON, May 3. By capturing Mateur the Allied armies have started to drive a wedge between Tunis and Bizerta. Roads and railways from Tunis to the north coast, and from Bizerta to Beja and the Algerian frontier, meet at this keypoint in Tunisian communications, the importance of which cannot be exaggerated. t The news that rhe Americans had occupied Mateur came to London as a complete surprise. Messages received - from Algiers only two hours earlier 1 said the Americans were still twelve miles from Mateur, which was being - shelled by long-range guns. Clearly news of the progress of the Ameri- . cans towards Mateur had been withheld until the town was taken. The Associated Press Algiers correspondent says the fortnight’s campaign in which the Americans played . an important part had exhausted both sides, but after a period of comparative rest the Allied have again struck forward and the enemy has collapsed in many places. French and Moroccan troops have made a further advance in the mountain region between the sea and Lake Chkel, bringing their advance elements to a point 15 miles from Bizerta. Their capture of 500 prisoners is significant. Allied troops • have captured an important height on r the Tebourba Road. The Americans '' Sre still advancing slightly in the Jefna •• area and are now on the slopes of Jebel el Foulina, 12 miles north-west ; of Mateur. The Germans south-west of Pont du Ji’ahs twice counter-attacked and drove back the French slightly, but by.evening the French had regained the lost ground. EARLIER FIGHTING ADVANCE THROUGH RUGGED COUNTRY. MADE BY UNITED STATES TROOPS. (Received This Day. 1.25 p.m.) LONDON, May 3. The Algiers radio says heavy fighting preceded the capture of Mateur. The Americans, advancing beyond Mateur, are harassing the enemy again. An earlier report from Reuter’s correspondent states that American longrange guns were landing great shells In Mateur yesterday, and that von 1 Arnim was replying with 170 millimetre howitzers and also sending over flights of 20 to 25 Focke-Wulfs. The sound of bombs and shells echoed and re-echoed in the mountain defiles. An American staff officer said: “Judging from the Jerries’ reaction, their major- ; generals must be getting blown from their beds.” The Americans sent their first shells whizzing into Mateur on April 30. They have been advancing through a country whose ruggedness is almost beyond description. The Germans had to be cleared from every rock-crested hill and almost from every rock itself. LESSONS OF BATTLE SURVEYED BY TWO REUTER CORRESPONDENTS. FIRE POWER & AIR COVER. < (Received This Day, 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 3. Analysing the African campaign ‘ with a view to the application of its lessons to the second front, two of Reuter's correspondents jointly say that perhaps the most important lesson concerns firepower. We have still no weapon comparable with the German heavy machine-gun. The Allies had a preponderating medium artillery strength, notably 25-pounders and also were superior in smaller mortars and automatic weapons. The British have been consistently outranged with ma-chine-guns, but are now remedying the deficiency. The Germans have always placed great faith in mortars, the latest model of which is of six-inch calibre, dropping mortar bombs with deadly accuracy inside a ton yards circle at 4,000 yards. The main difference between American and British equipment has been the American tank-buster, which is a half-tracked * ‘Vehicle, mounting a 75-millimetre gun. The Germans had a similar weapon, . using the same gun mounted on lor- • ries, but the British have always relied on a screen of anti-tank guns in the field. The British 25-pounders ’ were superior to any American or German field piece, but the Americans had ' better gun of the medium howitzer

class. The latest Allied tanks are more than a match for the German armour. The correspondents also point out that the Tunisian campaign has shown the need for the earliest possible employment of airborne troops. They instance the seizure of the easternmost Tunisian aerodrome. They emphasise the need for speeding air cover over advancing land spearheads. They point out that, despite the almost simultaneous arrival of air and land forces in North Africa, the latter quickly outran their air cover.