EIGHTH ARMY GAINS NERLY TEN MILES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 74, 29 March 1943, Page 3

EIGHTH ARMY GAINS NERLY TEN MILES

EL HAMMA REGION

Enemy Fighting Every Inch Of Ground Rec. 1 p.m. RUGBY, Mar. 28. "The thrusts of the Eighth Army towards El Hamma, which means an advance of about 10 miles, can be considered as a most successful operation," states a war correspondent at Allied' forces headquarters. "Our troops are now pressing the enemy, who continues to fight every inch of ground on the outskirts of the town. Fighting is now taking place on both sides of the town which gave its name to the Mareth Line. Prisoners have been taken during this battle." : "Another successful operation was carrieu out in the central sector by American troops who. switching further north of the Gafsa-Maunassi road, launched a strong infantry attack at dawn and captured Fondouk with hardly any loss, the Axis troops offering only slight opposition," says the correspondent. The German withdrawal in El Hamma area may involve a slight shortening of the bottleneck through which any eventual withdrawal of enemy troops northwards may be expected to take place. But communications to date give no sign of such a withdrawal and the near future may hold nothing spectacular. The fact that the armies engaged are as highly skilled and trained and as well armed as any in history may make the battle lcng, but if the enemy eventually decides to withdraw they will have to show great skill. Any withdrawal would presumably take place along the coast road stretching 150 miles up to Susa, and Rommel would have to keep four strong flank guards on the road from El Guettar, Maknassi, Faid and Fondouk. The Germans, however, appear to be still well out on all four roads, and there is no sign of imminent withdrawal. "On Friday night bombers attacked enemy transport in the Gabes area, and Kittyhawks continued attacks in the same area yesterday," states the North Africa communique. "In the Maknassi sector Hurricanes attacked enemy positions and the railway. During convoy patrols offi the Algerian coast our fighters destroyed six enemy bombers. From all these operations two of our aircraft, are missing." Rommel's fortified positions are being continuously attacked with heavy calibre bombs, while German tanks and armoured vehicles in the rear are being severely harassed. Allied fighter pilots have almost cleared the air over the Eighth Army and its communications.. But for isolated hit-and-run Stuka raids, our troops are unmolested by enemy planes.

FOR RURAL WORK

AUSTRALIAN SERVICEMEN Rec. 9.30 a.m. CANBERRA, Mar. 28. Five thousand Australian servicemen under 19 years of age are being drafted to an army mobile squad for rural work. The squad will travel to country areas to assist in seasonal jobs. The scheme will not entail a drain on reinforcements for the combat stations, as although the.minimum legal age for Australian troops is IS, soldiers under 19 cannot be sent to fight outside Australia.. "The army realises that civilian food supplies must be maintained, but the army is also short of manpower," said the Minister for the Army Mr. F. M. Forde, when announcing the formation of the mobile squad. "There is a constant demand for reinforcements to relieve men m tropical operational areas. inis makes it impossible to release enough men to give more than partial relief to primary industries.' /.„«„„ At present 4000 soldiers are doing seasonal work throughout Australia. In the past year 30,000 soldiers were released temporarily to assist in primary industry, with a maximum ol 15,000 available at one time.