SCATTER TO HILLS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 108, 8 May 1943, Page 5

SCATTER TO HILLS

CRACK GERMAN UNITS Great Hole Was Torn In Axis Defence Line

N.Z. Press Association.—Copyright Rec. 1 p.m. LONDON, May 7. The First Army moved down the Tunis road at the rate of a mile per hour. Crack German units, including the Goering Division, scattered to the hills and appeared to be powerless to attack from the flanks. Our left flank moved towards Furna, Avhich is a village three miles from Massicault. Furna was reported to be well defended, but our airmen had pulped it, and Furna proved no obstacle. One armoured unit passed Furna. Another swept round Massicault towards St. Cyprien. The Axis forces withdrew to avoid encirclement. We had a steel ring around Massicault, which was entered at 3 p m .—nine miles ahead after 12 hours. We had torn a great hole in the German defence line on a fourmile front. One hundred Allied bombers, concentrating an attack into 10 minutes shortly after 3 p.m., smashed St. Cyprien. which was the rallying point for the enemy's mobile re-

serves Our most advanced column reached a point three miles west of St Cyprien, where the enemy was holding a line running north and south. Great Speed of Advance More and more British tanks, infantry and artillery rolled up. We consolidated for the next move. At nightfall we had covered 13 miles and were within gun range of Tunis. It had been a great day s work. < The whole northern tip of Tunisia may not be cleared of the enemy but the remaining pockets of resistance must inevitably be wiped out. Our occupation of Bizerta and Tunis together with valuable airfields in the locality, will make the Axis positions-in the Cap Bon area.un-teTaheleNorth-west Africa Air Force dominated the air over the battle areas. They kept up a terrific blitz, especially over roads which were blocked with enemy troops. Our aircraft also swept the sea lanes north of Tunisia, and included in Axis vessels sunk were two destroyers. General Giraud, in a special message to his troops, said: "On this, Joan of Arc's Day, Tunis has been liberated and Bizerta set free. Honour to the British Army, the American Army and you soldiers of France who fought without clothing and boots and believed in victory."

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