TUNISIAN "DUNKIRK"

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 40, 17 February 1943, Page 3

TUNISIAN "DUNKIRK"

Axis Attempt Is Cunningham's Greatest Hope •

| ENEMY HAS ENOUGH SHIPPING Rec. 1.30 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 16. Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham stated that the enemy still has enough shipping for- a - Tunisian "Dunkirk," but the losses, .'would be heavy because ships must -cross, over SO miles of water,.;' Hq ; added that his greatest hope-was that the Germans would®try a Dunkirk and bring but the Italian -fleet to--help- them. Britain and America had lost less than 2 per cent of the 7SO ships, totalling 6,500,000 tons which have sailed to North Africa since November 8. The Italians and Germans in January lost nearly a third of their ships on the way to Tunisia, "but they are still getting in too much," he added. "The supply war is going on at both ends of the Mediterranean. The tonnage entering Tripoli is mounting daily. It is only a question of time before General Montgomery can move forward," said Admiral Cunningham. He added that Jris own new command, which would come into effect in four days, would include Malta, Tripoli and Sardinia.