GREAT OPERATIONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 June 1943, Page 3

GREAT OPERATIONS

AGAINST THE ENEMY IN NEAR PROSPECT MR CHURCHILL ON ALLIED STRATEGY. MAY BEST MONTH YET IN WAR ON U-BOATS. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) LONDON, June 8. Obviously, Allied operations against the enemy on a large scale were approaching, said the Prime Minister, Mr Churchill, in a statement which he made in the House of Commons today. Mr Churchill said that he could make no predictions as to what would happen in the future, still less in the near future; but our strategy would be put into force as a result al' the talks.

Commenting on his visit to North Africa, the Premier said he received an impression of the extraordinary ardour of Allied armies to engage the enemy at the earliest moment. He spoke of the 190 German and 28 satellite divisions on the Russian front, and added, “It is here that the greatest battles seem to be impending.” About the war against the U-boats, Mr Churchill stated that from every point of view May was our best month yet. The joint Allied building of ships exceeded the losses by more than three to one.

Nothing would deter us from endeavouring to smash the enemy power by bombing as well as other means, he stated.

In speaking of his visit to Washington, Mr Churchill. said that as the Allied war effort passed to the offensive phase and as the scale of their pressure continually grew, more frequent consultations between the military staffs and those concerned with the high control became necessary. At Washington the entire expanse of the war, mirrored in the light of victory, was surveyed by the British and American leaders. Members cheered when Mr Churchill added that we had shown that we could come through; we had shown that we could face disaster; but we had still to show that we could keep ourselves at a high level of successful efforts and be worthy of them. Perhaps that might be the hardest task.

Complete agreement about the future steps to be taken had been reached in Washington. There had been none of the differences which had occurred between the Allies in the last war largely as a result of conflict between military and political leadership. The members heartily cheered Mr Churchill when he entered. Mrs. Churchill and many foreign Ambassadors and Ministers were in the gallery. BATTLE LOSSES IN TUNISIAN CAMPAIGN. AXIS AND ALLIED FIGURES. LONDON, June 8. Reviewing the casualties in the Tunisian campaign, the Prime Minister, Mr Churchill, in his statement in the House of Commons, stated that the total number of Axis prisoners passing through Allied cages was 248,000. This is an increase of 24,000 on the figure last given. Fifty thousand of the enemy were killed, he said, making a total Axis loss of about 300,000. Since crossing the Tunisian frontier the Eghth Army lost about 11,500 men, and the First Army about 23,500, in killed, missing and wounded.