EIGHTH ARMY STARTS BIG-SCALE ATTACK

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 34, 10 February 1943, Page 3

EIGHTH ARMY STARTS BIG-SCALE ATTACK

VICHY RADIO REPORT Aim To Cut Rommel Off From Tunisia Coast X.Z.P.A. and British Wireless Rec. noon. LONDON, Feb. S. Vichy radio has reported that the Eighth Army has launched a largescale attack with the object of cutting off Rommel's forces in Tunisia from the sea. Morocco radio says the Eighth Army has completed 'the mopping-up in Tripolitania. No Italians or Germans are left inside the border. Berlin radio claims that Axis forces occupied Sened after the withdrawal of the Americans. The attempted advance by British, French and United States troops across the plains in east Tunisia failed, it is claimed. The French at Pont du Fahs were insufficiently equipped. \ The correspondent of the Columbia Broadcasting System at Algiers says that during the first three months of operations in North Africa 607 enemy planes have been destroyed for an Allied loss of 250 planes. Artillery Exchanges "Yesterday our patrol activity was continued," says the Middle East, communique. "There were artillery exchanges in the northern sector. Air activity over the frontier area was on a small scale. On Sunday night an enemy merchant vessel was hit and badly damaged by torpedo aircraft in the north of Sicily. The Messina (Sicily) train ferry was heavily bombed at daylight yesterday. Am enemy fighter attempting to intercept was shot down. Two of our aircraft are missing."

The Allied force command post in North Africa states: "There is nothing to report from the land forces on the Tunisian front. Heavy bombers raided the docks at Susa. Two ships were hit and many bursts were seen on the quays and the seaplane base. Medium bombers attacked Gabes aerodrome, causing fires among buildings and grounded aircraft. There was strong opposition from enemy fighters, eighteen of which were shot down. Five of our planes were lost." Light bomoers and fighter-bombers attacked enemy troops and vehicles without loss. No opposition was encountered from enemy fighters.

During a recent patrol in the Mediterranean a British submarine sank two south bound schooners by gunfire close to the Italian coast. One was carrying ammunition. Later on the same day a submarine sank a 2500-ton motor vessel, and a 700-ton steamer following astern was destroyed by gunfire.