FIGHTING IN TUNISIA

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23845, 14 January 1943, Page 3

FIGHTING IN TUNISIA

Activity South Of Mejez el Bab FRENCH FORCES IN ACTION (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright! (Rec. 11 p.in.) LONDON, Jan. 13. In Tunisia land activity appears to be mostly in the area just south of Mejez el Bab. Allied patrols, now stiffened by tanks, continue to be active. Gabes and Sousse are still the main targets for Allied air attacks. Tuesday’s Allied communique for North Africa states: “Active patrolling by both sides continues in the area between Bou Arada and Goumbellat. Spitfires on sweeps over the forward

areas destroyed an enemy fighter. P3B aircraft shot down three Axis transport aeroplanes off the Tunisian coast. A small force of 817 (Flying Fortress) aircraft attacked targets near Gabes. An escorting P3B destroyed an enemy aeroplane. Two of our aircraft are missing from these operations.” Another report says Flying fortresses successfully attacked Ghadames and scored a direct hit on a fort from which a huge column of smoke and flames shot up. They also attacked a railway bridge 16 miles north-west of Gabes. . . . , The correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain in Tunisia, states that British infantry and tanks on Sunday pushed the Germans from their positions and straddled the arterial Goumbellat road, 16 miles west of Pont du Fahs. The British and German forces, after a day of brisk fighting. are now facing each other across a narrow valley six miles north of Bou British infantry on Monday, after routing the Germans from a hill and farm near the Goumbellat road, occupied high ground east of the road and later, supported by tanks, made a thrust against German positions on a high hill beyond the road, but the fight was indecisive. Tuesday’s communique from French headquarters in North Africa, quoted by the Morocco radio, states: “Last evening the enemy renewed his attacks to the south-east of Pont el Aroueb. He was repulsed, suffering heavy losses in men and material. Several enemy tanks were destroyed. In a lively engagement 19 miles west of Kairouan we scored a complete success. An appreciable advance was effected, and we occupied a strategically important height. Two hundred prisoners, mostly Italians, were captured. On the rest of the front there was patrol activity.” Another report says French troops, supported by Royal Air Force fighters, attacked Karachwan, 17 miles northwest of Kairouan, and captured a strategic mountain pass and 180 Italians. Fighting is still going on. Other French forces succeeded in surrounding Axis forces in a small valley near Jebel Bou Dabous. north-west of Kairouan. and captured a neighbouring bill. , French troops five miles south of Fondouk repulsed and caused heavy casualties among German attackers.

GERMAN FORCES IN

ITALY

(Rcc, 11.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, .Tan. 12. “Travellers from Italy report that German troops, which hitherto have remained mostly in the background, now parade in formations of at least a division, accompanied by full field equipment,” says the Berne correspondent of the “New York Times.” “At the same time, close formations of the Luftwaffe are vying with each other, seeing how closely they can miss the roof tops. “The general interpretation placed on these actions is that Berlin is seeking to bolster up sagging Italian morale m view of the worsening situation on the eastern front and in North Africa "There is a growing belief that Italy will soon close the Swiss frontier to check espionage.” K.A.F. ATTACK OX RUHR SWEEPS OVER LOW COUNTRIES LONDON. Jan. 12. The Air Ministry says that last night aircraft of the Bomber Command attacked objectives in the Ruhr, making the sixth attack on this area in the last nine days. One British aircraft is missing. Cloudy weather was encountered, but many 40001b bombs were dropped on factories and other objectives. British fighters and Army Co-opera-tion Command aeroplanes attacked and damaged water transport and railway targets in offensive patrols over the Low Countries to-day. No aircraft are missing. The Ministry of Home Security announces the following figures of civilian air raid casualties in the United Kingdom in December: Killed or missing and believed killed. 109; injured and detained in hospital, 201. RETURN OF UNION PRIVILEGES SPEECH TO BRITISH RAILWAYMEN LONDON. Jan. 12. The British Minister of Labour (Mr Ernest Bevin), speaking to railway workers to-day. said that the trades unions must not expect the return of their privileges too soon after the war. The Government was doing its, best to see that peace did not take them unawares, but it would be impossible to return at once to pre-war conditions. Mr Bevin paid a tribute to women workers. He said that he had had to do something that had been done in no other country, namely, conscript women. The women had responded in a most amazing manner. They had topped the scales in the war. “We could not have done the job we have done if they had not left their homes,” he said.

Mr Bevin was speaking at the opening of a mobile railway canteen. He said that each week, 100,000,000 meals were distributed through restaui'ants and communal feeding centres. This was one of the best efforts of the war, and one which he hoped would not be abandoned in peace time.

Canadian Dress Restrictions.—The Canadian Wartime Prices Trade Board has prohibited the manufacture of dress.suits, dinner suits, cutaway morning coats, Prince Alberts, and formal vests, thus “freezing” all men’s clothing to 1942 specifications.—Ottawa, January 12.