HEMMED IN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 May 1943, Page 4

HEMMED IN

AXIS FORCES IN TUNISIA , XT „ N ?n ,., 7r? j- UL ALLI’D ATTACKS. BOTH BIZERTA AND TUNIS THREATENED. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.55 a.m.) LONDON, May 5. The position in Tunisia is dramatically summed up—“ The Allies are within ten miles of Bizerta, five miles of Ferryville and twelve miles cf Tunis.” But this statement is subject to reservations, although the Aliles clearly are increasing ' pressure against the two main objectives of Bizerta and Tunis and are further limiting the space in which it is possible for the Axis forces to operate effectively. The British United Press correspondent at Allied Headquarters states that the Axis is now hemmed in in a narrow area of Tunisia of about 2,500 square miles. General von Arnim is concentrating his main strength on the road to Tunis and is occupying the hills west of Tebourba, despite the increasing threat of being outflanked from the north. The Americans and French are aiming to close the trap around Bizerta on the south-west. One column swung around the western shore of Lake Achkel, travelling through a heavy storm, and reached Jebel Chemti. on the northern side. Their progress was too fast for the Germans, who threw in a fair-sized force in an apparently hastily planned counterattack. Not only was the attack repulsed, but the Americans in a second attack, brought their units up the western slopes of a hill which dominates the crossroads north-west of Ferryville. They are now clinging strongly to positions which are only 13 miles from Bizerta. Nevertheless, it is obvious that the Germans intend to cling to Jebel Chemti as long as possible. South of Lake Achkel, an American column advanced across the River Tine to Jebel Makna, eight miles south-east of Mateur. Here the enemy could only resist feebly. His counter-attack was smashed almost as soon as it started. Jebel Makna is the first large ridge east of the River Tine and is a good jumping-off place for attacks down towards the Tunisian Plain. The splitting of the Allied forces around the two lakes—Achkel and Bizerta—is unavoidable, but the defences are also split. French progress in the direction of Jebel Zaghouan is very important. Zaghouan is the highest peak in Tunisia. It dominates much of the ground between Pont du Fahs and the sea, and is one of the last great strongholds of ' the Axis defence. The British United Press correspondent concludes that there is every indication that von Arnim is now in his last main defensive positions and that •when this last line is cracked, his hopes .of holding the Tunisian tip for any length of time will be gone. The National Broadcasting Corporations Algiers correspondent reports that the important railway line from Pont du Fahs to Enfidaville has been cut. It iis the enemy’s main supply line southwards and the Germans probably will be forced to withdraw on the Eighth Army’s front. French troops south-east of Pont du Fahs have advanced several miles, in spite of fierce resistance by the enemy. STRANGE EPISODE £ > TANK & GUN FIRE SIMULTANEOUSLY. BOTH GET THEIR TARGET. (Received This Day, 1.10 p.m.) LONDON, May 5. In the action north-east of Medjez el Bab in which the enemy lost 12 out . of 17 tanks, an Associated Press correspondent with the First Army describes an extraordinary incident, when one British heavy anti-tank gun knockcd out six German tanks before being itself destroyed by a shell from its last victim. The correspondent says: “The Germans put down a smoke screen and smoke swirled thick in the mountain gap. One of our guns, by a freak was not obscured by the smoke and the gun crew had a clearview of a rise in the ground over which the enemy armour was expected to appear. Suddenly three tanks came into range! cf our anti-tank gun, which picked them off like wood pigeons. Then two more were seen and the gun . again scored direct hits with two rounds. Finally a sixth tank came within range. A senior officer said: ‘lt is almost unbelievable, but the tank and the gun fired simultaneously and both hit their targets. The tank was disabled and two members of its crew were killed. The enemy was unable to salvage any of his tanks. Our sappers blew them up. It was a great day’s work.’ ” The Algiers radio reported that American planes sank an Axis destroyer off Cape Bon. The Paris radio, quoting a La Linea message, said a new big convoy, including warships and twenty transports, laden with landing barges and armoured vehicles, left Gibraltar last night.