The Press FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 1943. Rommel in Retreat

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23918, 9 April 1943, Page 4

The Press FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 1943. Rommel in Retreat

The second phase of the Bth Army’s offensive has opened with a most encouraging success, the reward of a boldly conceived and powerfully driven surprise attack, at night. The scope of this success is immediately measured in the facts that Rommel was swept from his position on the Wadi Akarit within 12 hours, that the Bth Army then had “ open country ” before it, and that 6000 prisoners were gathered in. But all this signifies much less than the promise of greater success now’ in sight—the success towards which Sir Bernard Montgomery has bent all his plans, in the destruction of the Afrika Korps. The fact that he has struck now with all his force strongly suggests that at one point or another, or at more than one point, the condition which makes it certain or probable is about to be fulfilled. That is, either from Maknassi and the Faid Pass or from Kairouan, towards Graiba and Sfax or towards Sousse, the United Nations forces in flank of Rommel’s retreat corridor may now be ready to close in on it, bar it, and pin him against the sea. If events are moving to that climax, other factors than the Bth Army’s pursuit and a thrust from the hills are also to be reckoned with. Along the whole 200-250 miles of Rommel’s route to the Gulf of Hammamet, he will be exposed tq air attack; as far as Sfax, he can be assailed from the sea, and then again at Sousse. The prospects, therefore, are highly favourable; and a closer view of the country does not seriously qualify this estimate. The American forces, more than a week ago, were reported to be tackling the last ridge between Maknassi and the plains. These are in two belts, a desolate, rocky steppe near the hills and the cultivated, olive belt against the coast. The defensive opportunities of the olive groves are the best that this region holds for Rommel. Its chief dangerpoint is the rail junction of Graiba; and if the Americans are within striking distance of it, his crisis may soon be reached. Otherwise, he may be caught and broken anywhere between Graiba and Sfax. From Mahares to Sfax, road and rail run through a very narrow coastal bottle-neck. Further south, the “ open country ” into which the Bth Army is moving is rather misleadingly so described, because it belongs to the desert belt still, is broken by hills and dry wadis, and provides endless useful rearguard positions. Whether Rommel is strong enough to make full use of them, however, while struggling to hold his flank clear and extricate his main force, is a question which the next few days will answer. If hq makes good his retreat to and past Sfax, however, his problem will only be eased while' another looms ahead. The inland route, rail and rddd, from Sfax to Sousse is safer and better; but at Sousse the conditions for a land, sea, and air trap are superb. It may be said, therefore, that the situation fully justifies the hope, if not the confident expectation, that Rommel will not lead more than a remnant of the Afrika Korps to its junction with von Arnim in the Tunisian corner; and the hope is strengthened by the report of devastating bomber attacks on the Luftwaffe concentrations in Sicily, intended, unquestionably, to cover the retreat.