IN HOPELESS PLIGHT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 May 1943, Page 3

IN HOPELESS PLIGHT

REMAINING AXIS FORCES IN TUNISIA ALLIED THRUST INTO CAPE BON PENINSULA. AXIS PLANS TO DEFEND EUROPE. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, May 9. The Germans are now confused and disorderly. According to the Tunis correspondent of the "New York Times,’’ one large British ar- v moured force has pieced a "Siegfried position” which was built by the Nazis across the entrance to

the Cap Bon peninsula. A latei message says that the Allies have captured Hammamet, on the east ccast at the base of the peninsula. Hammam Lit, 10 miles south-east of Tunis, was occupied yesterday and oui troops, pushing forward, reached the northern end of the base of the peninsula. French forces continued to advance north-east of Pont du . Fahs, which fell on Friday. Chouigui, near Tebourba, was occupied by American infantry. "Von Arnim is likely to attempt • a delaying action while he tries to evacuate at least a portion of his beaten troops,” says the Algiers radio. “Should an evacuation be attempted it will result in a massacre of the German forces. The British Fleet and the Allied air forces will not allow a single Axis soldier to escape; they will have to choose between death and unconditional surrender. “Germans and Italians are reported to be surrendering freely round Tunis and Bizerta. Some of the prisoners, who are described as nerve-shattered, declared that the large numbers of antipersonnel bombs which were dropped by the Allies were particularly demoralising. Two thousand planes yesterday dropped more than 1,250,0001 b. of bombs on the battle areas in Tunisia and on harbours and shipping.” The Allied aircraft maintained pressure on the enemy yesterday, specially along the highways to the Cap Bon peninsula. The Gulf of Tunis was closely patrolled and a small ship heading for Sicily was hit and probably sunk. GERMANS IN FRANCE. The London “Evening Standard” says that a large force of picked German troops has arrived at the Cote d’Azur, in southern France, to replace the Italian occupation troops. All hotels and private villas must be closed within 24 hours, and the population must be evacuated by the weekend. The “Standard” quotes the German General Ramcke, who was formerly with Field Marshal Rommel, as saying, "I have seen the extraordinary strength of the Eighth Army, which must be considered one of the best of fighting units. I share Field Marshal Rommel’s opinion that the Eighth Army has been chosen to launch an attack against the Continent. The Eighth Army’s inactivity is explicable if it is due to preparations for an invasion.” The Rome radio announced that Mussolini has summoned a meeting of the Italian Cabinet. Observers believe that the meeting was called to discuss plans to meet a possible early invasion of Europe. “All of the southern coast of France, from the Spanish frontier to the maritime Alps, has been formidably equipped for defence,” says the Rome radio. “Italy has placed herself in a position to take all the necessary steps to face up to eventualities. If the enemy attempts to invade the European continent he will come up against something so dangerous as to surpass any allowances the enemy might have made for our defences.” TENSION IN BALKANS. The tension in the Balkans soared last night at reports which were current in all capitals betwkeen Vienna and Istanbul that an Allied invasion of the Balkans was imminent, says the “Sunday Express.” The atmosphere is more electric than at any other time since 1940.

The Turkish Embassy in London went out of its way to deny a report that Turkey had declared war on Germany and Bulgaria. The Bulgarian Legation in Bucharest, Rumania, issued a statement admitting “slight restrictions” on the Turkish-Bulgarian border, though it asserted that the frontier was still open to normal traffic. At the same time Berlin openly accused the Allies of instigating Turkey to join in an invasion of the Balkans, and said that British general staff officers had begun negotiations with the Turkish staff.

A report from Ankara states that the Turkish President, General Inonu, received the Nazi Ambassador, Hen- von Papen. The Turkish Foreign Minister, M. Menemencoglu, was present. Berlin’s alarm about the Balkans is evident, says the “Daily Express.” Trains loaded with German troops and war materials are moving into southeast Europe without pause day and night. Central European airfields are packed with Gestapo officials and antiinvasion experts. The Associated Press correspondent in Istanbul says that travellers report that German troops are moving south through Hungary at a rate comparable with that preceding the German invasion of Greece and Yugoslavia. Special transportation units have arrived in Budapest, Hungary. The Italians are reported to be evacuating civilians from the Dodecanese Islands, the defences of which are being strengthened. BEY OF TUNIS REPORTED TO HAVE FLED TO ITALY. LONDON, May 8. The Bey of Tunis is reported to have fled to Italy.