KNOCKOUT PUNCH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 May 1943, Page 3

KNOCKOUT PUNCH

PERFECT COMBINATION OF ALL ARMS TIMED BY MASTER HAND. DAZED AXIS FORCES OVERWHELMED. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.25 p.m.) LONDON, May 7. The offensive which ushered in the final phase of the Tunisian campaign marked a new high level in the smooth interaction of all arms and wholehearted co-operation of many Allied elements, to produce a knockout punch which the dazed Axis forces were totally unable to withstand. The First Army’s drive of over 20 miles, in a little over a day and a half, through territory the enemy had carefully prepared for defence, probably was the most spectacular event of the last crowded 48 hours, but the hard-fighting Americans and French—de Gaullists as well as Giraudists—were well in the hunt. Dominion airmen will also be well in the picture when the full story can be told. The British United Press correspondent with the First Army describes the drive to Tunis as “a perfect combination of infantry, armour, artillery and air strength, timed by a master hand.” Nothing could have withstood that onslaught, the correspondent adds. While the First Army was punching a hole in the centre of the Axis line, French and American troops were closing in on Bizerta and Tebourba, the French were assailing Pont du Fahs and the Eighth Army was pressing the Italian and German mountain positions in the south, to prevent any desperate diversion of forces. ' INFANTRY & TANKS. I

An artillery barrage at 3 a.m. yesterday wag the prelude to the great drive to Tunis, says the British United Press correspondent. Hundreds of guns thundered out, including many rushed up to the newly-won Jebel Bou Aoukaz. This time we had the high ground with us and made the best use of it. The infantry, following El Alamein tactics, went in after the barrage lifted, bore the brunt of the early fighting and made a way for the tanks to break through into more open country. The infantry gained their first objectives within two hours, after which Allied bombers staged non-stop raids against the infantry’s second and third objectives. The infantry struck south-east and captured Jebel Frenj. Another infantry thrust cleared a large hill west of Massicault. Our armoured forces went in at 5 p.m. Lumbering giants clanked and rattled along roads and across fields German tanks were waiting hull down, with only their tops showing and backed up by mobile guns, all prepared to blast our tanks as they swung into action, but the boot was on the other foot. We had brought up heavy guns during Wednesday night and they helped to blast a way for our armour, which roared on to the plain and found a total of sixty Axis tanksopposing them. A brief tank engagement occurred ' six miles west of Massicault, but the Axis tanks withdrew after severe losses.