SLOPES WON.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 171, 1 May 1943, Page 4

SLOPES WON.

ADVANCE BY THE AMERICANS.

HELD DESPITE COUNTER-ATTACKS

CORE 'OF AXIS DEFENCES. (N,Z. Press Association— Copyright.) (Rec. 1.35 p.m.) LONDON, April 30. From newly-won positions on the slopes of Mill 609, four miles east of Sidi Nsir, the Americans are able to see Bizerta and Tunis. The hill is the core of the last Axis stronghold in North Afx’ica. The French advanced 2-i- miles along the north coast; sector and seized Jebel Keftonro. 600 feet high, from which Bizerta is visible. Tins hill is five miles north-east of Lake Garateachkel, which is separated from Lake Bizerta by a narrow neck of land bn which runs the main road between Tunis and Bizerta.

To the south, British troops yesterday captured Sidi Abdullah, 12 miles east of Medjez el Bab. The enemy counter-attacked powerfully with infantry and tanks in an effort to recapture the area, but all counterattacks were repulsed and 10 German tanks were destroyed. The Zurich correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” reports that the German newspapers are preparing the public for defeat in Tunisia. The “Voelkischer Beobachter” said that German and Italian troops in Tunisia retreated only because ol the enemy’s gigantic superiority in men and material. The correspondent adds that the Germans are being told to regard the campaign in Tunisia as only one phase 01 the war spread over several continents. The Americans’ advance up the slopes of Hill 609 was followed by a German counter-attack, hut the Americans held on. Later they repeatedly attempted to storm the heights, but they lost heavily under a rain of mortar fire. The Americans consolidated their gain of half a mile, but the task of capturing the peak is still ahead. Captain Sertorius, broadcasting from the Berlin radio, claimed that, no important changes had taken place in the 24 hours ended at noon to-day. He also claimed that the Germans hold the initiative in local fighting east of Medjez el Bab, where, he said, the considerable setback suffered by the Allied tanks in a thrust toward Terbourha on Wednesday apparently was still making itself felt. “The New Zealanders tried to storm the heights north of Enfidaville, but were driven from tho slopes in. fierce hand-to-hand fighting,” said the commentator. “A German counter-attack forced the Bth Army to abandon all tho ground gained in the drive toward Pont du Fahs.”