EIGHTH ARMY’S ROLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 June 1943, Page 3

EIGHTH ARMY’S ROLE

“The capture of the Takrouna feature left us firmly established in the line, which constituted an immediate threat to the rest of the enemy’s Enfidaville line. The Eighth Army's role at this stage was to maintain pressure all along the front and keep the large enemy force fully engaged on our sector. On April 24 and 25 the Sixth Brigade (under Brigadier Parkinson), ■with tanks of the Eighth Armoured Brigade in support, carried out two night advances and captured several more features, which increased still further the dent in the enemy line. The enemy reacted violently, but in spite of counter-attacks and very intense artillery and mortal - fire our salient was firmly held.

“Meanwhile, in the north the First Army attack had been launched on April 23, and, after extremely heavy fighting on the following days, important heights were captured and the enemy’s line was beaten back. “At the end of the first week of our offensive no weakness had been revealed in the enemy defences on either the First or Eighth Army fronts, and we had nowhere captured the enemy main line of resistance. Our losses had been severe, and it was obvious that more heavy blows would have to be struck before we could break through. On the Enfidaville front the nature of the country made it impossible to gain penetration of more than a few miles in any single successful attack, but on .. the First Army front the topography was more favourable.