TERRIBLE ORDEAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 May 1943, Page 3

TERRIBLE ORDEAL

ENDURED BY ALLIED PRISONERS ON BOARD ITALIAN SHIP THREE DAYS & NIGHTS OF HELL. UNDER ALLIED AIR BOMBING. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.20 a.m.) RUGBY, May 9. A picture is now possible of the devastation caused by the Allied air forces at points such as El Aouina airfield (near Tunis), Port Tunis and La Goulette, and also of the terrible experience of hundreds of British and Americans who were prisoners aboard an Italian ship subjected to Allied bombing. The state of El Aouina is a remarkable tribute to the Allied bombing and strafing. There are wrecks of at least a hundred German aircraft and a few Italian littered round the edges of the airfield. Many are large transport aircraft. Hangars and buildings are in ruins and paths are strewn with great piles of broken masonry and metal work. Some German pilots had flung down their parachutes as they fled and in one corner were some German “folkswagen” cars, with petrol already in the tanks, ready to be driven away, and lacking only ignition keys. The city of Tunis itself is practically undamaged, but the docks there and at La Goulette are a shambles. All warehouses by the dockside are gutted and broken to bits. Jetties and quays stick out' brokenly from the water. Moored alongside are numerous ships, all beached or sunk by bombing, varying in size from barges to 6,000 tonners. In the port of Tunis the biggest wreck is that of an Italian ship, which local inhabitants report was hit during. an air raid when she was carrying bombs into Tunisia. There are many wrecks at La Goulette. Several ships were still burning yesterday and a cloud of smoke was rising over La Goulette. Out on the other side of the water, states the Air Ministry news service, was another cloud of smoke, where a German ship had been sunk. Near the shore a large Italian ship was aground. Small boats were bringing to the beach load after load of British and American prisoners of war from this ship. They told a terrible story of the bombing of the vessel, which was loaded three days ago with nearly 700 prisoners.. The ship steamed out of Tunis Harbour, intending to make for Italy with a destroyer escort. The prisoners saw the destroyer sunk by Kittyhawks off Cape Bon. Without escort, they said, the Germans and Italians on board refused to make the run to Sicily and put back to La Goulette. “Then we went through three days and nights of hell,” said one British officer. “We were bombed and strafed repeatedly by our own aircraft. The pilots had no way of knowing there were British and American prisoners aboard, although later we did try to put identification signs on deck. Bombs fell all around and damaged the ship’s plates. One hit the side and left us with a list. There was another direct hit, but fortunately by only a small bomb and only superficial damage was done. It is a miracle the ship was not sunk. She had been run aground. The Italians left after the first bombing attack, but the Germans stuck it out at their guns almost to the end. Then they went ashore. An Italian sergeant came over last evening and took a party of our sick and wounded ashore. The rest had to endure another night of bombing and more today. The air attack was terrible. We were crammed into two holds, with scarcely sufficient air to breathe, and for the last two days there was no water. There were no sanitary arrangements and we had little food. It was a nightmare. Fortunately we had only one British prisoner killed by air attack and one wounded.

HATRED OF ENGLISH ENJOINED BY VON ARNIM. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, May 8. General von Arnim, in a letter dated March 5, which has fallen into the Allies’ hands, ordered his commanders to encourage among the troops a cold hatred for anything English, says Reuter’s Algiers correspondent. Von Arnim detailed rumours which he said were current even among officers about the alleged fairness of the English, and commented: “Any man who is caught repeating the rumours after these instructions will be charged with undermining the morale of the fighting forces.”

KING’S ADMIRATION MESSAGE TO GENERAL EISENHOWER. LONDON, May 9. The King has sent a message to General Eisenhower congratulating him and his forces on the success in siaHis Majesty stated that during the six months of the campaign he had watched with admiration the progress made on land and in the air. Under General Eisenhower’s leadership all the forces were one united whole. The task had not been easy, but now the campaign was almost completed.

GRUDGING ADMISSION MADE BY ENEMY REPORTS. LONDON, May 9. A German High Command communique states: “Bizerta has been given up after the destruction of military installations. Street fighting is going on in Tunis.” An Italian communique says: “The enemy, with crushing, overwhelming forces succeeded in overcoming heroic resistance in Tunis and Bizerta. The Italians in central and southern Tunisia are bravely continuing the struggle.” According to the Rome radio, the Italians have taken up new positions on the Cape Bon peninsula. An admission that the outcome of the Tunisian battle is no longer in doubt was made by Captain Sertorius over Berlin radio, but he claimed that bitter fighting was still going on. "It was clear from the outset that the en-

emy, with the huge forces at his disposal, would one day overcome the German and Italian bridgehead, which really was just an operational improvisation,” said Captain Sertorius. “This became a certainty when the British and Americans secured air as well as naval superiority in the Mediterranean area .The enemy sea and air forces reduced the traffic from Sicily to Tunisia to a negligible minimum. The German High Command has achieved the maximum by delaying the decision for a full six months after the invasion of North Africa. The German and Italian forces are now split up into isolated nests which, though thej r are inflicting losses, must soon succumb.” “MAGNIFICENT VICTORY” STALIN’S CONGRATULATIONS & GOOD WISHES. LONDON, May 8. Moscow radio broadcast throughout the Soviet Union the following message which has been sent by M. Stalin to Mr Churchill and President Roosevelt: “I congratulate you and the glorious British .and American troops on the magnificent victory which has freed Tunis and Bizerta from Hitler’s tyranny. I wish you further successes.” BEGINNING OF END SEEN BY GENERAL SMUTS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 8. General Smuts, in a message to Mr Churchill on the victory in Tunisia, conveyed South Africa’s heartiest congratulations on the capture of Tunis. Tunis and Bizerta, he said, marked the beginning of the end. “I am proud that South Africa is also in this blitz, as it will continue to be to the end, wherever it may finally come,’” he added. In a similar message to President Roosevelt he said: “This feat of arms will prove historic. From now on the Allied tide of victory will roll on till it covers and fertilises our fair world and saves it from the new barbarism. LINKED ARMIES EXAMPLE OF ACHIEVEMENT MADE POSSIBLE BY UNITY & COMMAND. LONDON. May 8. “The entry into Bizerta and Tunis was an example of what can be achieved by the unification of an Allied army command,” said the Commander-in-Chief, North Africa General Eisenhower, in a statement which he issued in Algiers. He stated that he could not exaggerate the admiration everyone had for the First Army, which had been fighting for six months. Many of its members had not left the line for a single day. General Eisenhower revealed that since April 16 Major-General O. M. Bradley has been in command of the United States Second Corps, replacing Major-General Patton, who has been transferred to another important command.

NAVAL FORCES HOLDING SICILIAN STRAITS IN BAD WEATHER. NO SIGN OF MAJOR ATTEMPT AT EVACUATION. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.10 a.m.) RUGBY, May 9. A special communique from Allied Headquarters in North Africa states: “Last night strong formations of light naval forces were active in the Straits of Sicily and Gulf of Tunis, east of Cape Bon Peninsula. The units had orders to sink, set on fire or destroy enemy ships. The operations were strongly impeded by bad weather and high seas. One enemy surface vessel was damaged. Several of our units W’ere exposed to aerial attack. Their

losses were negligible. A complete report has not yet come to hand. “Early on Sunday morning, light naval forces sank two enemy merchantmen of medium tonnage. Enemy positions near Kelivia, on the east coast of Cape Bon Peninsula, were shelled by naval units on Saturday evening and early on Sunday morning. At present the enemy is making no attempt to embark a major number of troops.”

PRIDE & GRATITUDE NEW ZEALAND PREMIER’S MESSAGES. TO CHURCHILL & ROOSEVELT. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. New Zealand.’s congratulations to all arms taking part in the present successful campaign to drive the Axis armies from North Africa are expressed in telegrams which were dispatched yesterday by the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, to Mr Churchill and President Roosevelt. Mr Fraser’s telegram to Mr Churchill stated: “On behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand I offer to you and to Mr Roosevelt and, through the President, to General Eisenhower and all those under his command, the joyful and heartfelt congratulations of the Government and people of New Zealand on the triumph which has attended the efforts of all arms in the final stages of the North African campaign. New . Zealand is proud to be associated with the othei United Nations in the task of driving the Axis forces from North Africa and thus hastening the day of final victory and enduring peace.” A similar message was sent to Mr Roosevelt.