AXIS "DUNKIRK" OR ANOTHER STALINGRAD

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 79, 3 April 1943, Page 5

AXIS "DUNKIRK" OR ANOTHER STALINGRAD

CLIMAXJNJUNISIA Grave Difficulties Face Enemy Leaders N.Z.' Press Association.—Copyright Rec. 12.30 p.m. LONDON, April 2. Considerable speculation has arisen regarding the German military spokesman's assertion that General Montgomery would not be allowed to make contact with the main Nazi forces. The spokesman said: "The Allies in south Tunisia, despite terrific pressure, have not yet made contact with Rommel's main forces, nor will they succeed in doing so." Some quarters interpret this as meaning that Rommel does not intend to fight before reaching north Tunisia or that his forces will withdraw from Africa. Whether or not it indicates an attempt at an Axis "Dunkirk," which apparently is the only alternative to another "Stalingrad," correspondents emphasise that it is most unlikely that preparations for such a move will escape Allied air reconnaissance. The possibility of an attempted evacuation is so obvious that with the aerial superiority which the Allies possess over a wide area of the Mediterranean and surrounding coasts, any effort to take off enormous numbers of troops by ship would undoubtedly be observed and give the Allied air forces the chance for which they have certainly been praying. German "Consolation" Announcing that Rommel has joined von Arnim, the German News Agency claims that the Axis has "successfully retreated" to central Tunisia, and that the British attempts to encircle the Afrika Korps have failed. The news agency says that after Rommel's tank army reached the new, shortened defences, it united with, von Arnim's troops, thus achieving the original aim of a well-considered plan. The news agency adds that General Montgomery and the British and American forces repeatedly tried to prevent the union, but Rommel, anticipating the Allies' joint operations, disrupted General Montgomery's preparations against the Mareth Line by vigorous attack and under cover of strong rearguards had reached the area between El Hamma and Gabes with all his stores and arms. Allied Superiority Admitted The Berlin spokesman also emphasised Allied superiority in men and material, with better opportunities for bringing up reinforcements and supplies, because the British had repaired ports which the Germans wrecked during the retreat from Egypt, enabling the use of largescale sea transport, instead of ing on road transport. This confession is interesting, says the British United Press correspondence, inasmuch as it suggests that neither the Luftwaffe nor the Axis naval forces were able to interfere very much with British sea communications, which is not the usual sort of propaganda the Germans circulate. Reuter reported that there was no Axis air activity against our troops yesterday. During Allied offensive patrols north of Gabes our fighters did not sight a single enemy plane all day.