Drives From West And South

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23940, 6 May 1943, Page 5

Drives From West And South

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Ist AK.MY CLOSE TO TEBOURBA (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Roc. 11 p.m.) LONDON, May 5. 'R-iFrench troops on the north coast of Tunisia are reported f e within 13 miles of Bizerte. The American forces advancing north-west from Mateur were last reported to ’be 18 miles from Bizerte. “The whole northern flank of the Axis bridgehead in Tunisia has collapsed,” says the Columbia Broadcasting System’s correspondent in Algiers. “The enemy has now fallen back on prepared positions fronting Bizerte, with the French and American forces closing in from the west and south.” The correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” at Allied Headquarters says: “The threat to Bizerte is growing hourly. Allied aeroplanes are ceaselessly bombing the only road connecting Bizerte and Tunis.

“American forces fanning out from Mateur have pushed ]0 miles down the road through the mountains towards Tebourba. while Ist Army troops advancing from Mejez el Bab are less than seven miles west of Tebourba.”

Reuter’s correspondent with the American forces in northern Tunisia says that some American infantry who skirted the shores of Lake Garaa-Achkel are now in positions from which their artillery are able to shell the town of Ferryvilie across the lake. Two hundred Axis troops in the hills east of the Jefna positions are reported to be encircled.

The Morocco radio has quoted an unconfirmed dispatch saying that the Bth Army has launched an attack in southern Tunisia. The Algiers radio reported last night that the Bth Army opened up a violent barrage at dawn yesterday.

A French communique from North Africa says, according to the Algiers radio: "On the coastal sector the French African Corps carried out a deep advance north of Lake GaraaAchkel (a few miles south-west of the Lake of Bizerte itself), in close cooperation with American troops. Numerous prisoners were taken. South of Pont du Fahs our units started an offensive this morning. The advance is developing favourably and more than 100 prisoners have been taken.” ■ The Algiers correspondent of the Columbia Broadcasting System says: "The Americans are pushing on along the whole mountain front, while somewhere in the hills behind them German troops are isolated. They are units which could not get out when the Americans swooped down from the north-west. How large a bag of enemy troops we shall get in this area is not known, but we do know that the lightning advance has averted a battle in these hills, where everybody expected many days of fierce and bloody fighting. The Allied success was caused by precision artillery fire and by immediate successful realisation of weakening German resistance. "The Ist Army on Monday seized two more hills in the vital sector 10 miles north of Mejez el Bab. At the rate we are going, Bizerte may be within range of our big field-guns in a few more days.” "After 10 days of relentless pressure and much heavy fighting the Americans have forced the enemy on the northern sector to evacuate all his forward positions,” said yesterday’s Allied communique. “The American 2nd Corps, which, in co-operation with the French, captured Mateur yesterday morning continues to advance. Several hundred prisoners have already been taken. Further slight advances were made on the coastal sector, where the Ist Army continues its pressure against the enemy. There has been considerable whelling and patrolling on the Bth Army\s front.” \ Speed of Advance "All I along the vital north Tunisian wrlwt.he Axis forces appear to be jaghter b ac ksays the correspondent United Press in Algiers. ILqne ! tf’The speed of the Allied ad-varic-ei efHicated that the enemy had not time to lay the usual number of mines. Three columns are now advancing towards Bizerte. “The northernmost column is moving along the rough coastal area. These units, mainly French, supported by Moroccan irregulars, are advancing through difficult country where there are no roads.

“Two more columns are advancing eastwards, one along the Sedjenane valley and the ether northward from Mateur, The troops from Sedjenane are reported to have reached the northwestern corner of Lake Garaa-Achkel. The forces from Mateur have reached a road junction six miles north-east of Mateur. Their immediate objective appears to be Ferryville, which is an arsenal town lying on a strip of land between Lake Garaa-Achkel and Lake Bizerte.

“Lake Bizerte is described on some maps as Bizerte harbour. Lake GaraaAchkel is the more westerly of these two great inland waters. It seems likely that the Axis will make a stand between these lakes, where they would be within the defence zone of the big guns of Bizerte.” , _ , “British, American, and French troops in northern Tunisia are to-day sweeping forward on a 40-mile front, ’ says Reuter’s correspondent at Allied Headquarters. ‘‘Von Arnim has abandoned all his forward positions from the Mejez el Bab-Tebourba road to the Mediterranean coast. Von Arnim’s troops, which bore the brunt of last week’s fierce counter-attacks against the Ist Army, are reported to be falling back to-day on Tebourba. British troops who are close behind them appear to be meeting with no opposition.” German Comment The Berlin radio commentator, Captain Sertorius, said that the area held by the Axis forces after the withdrawal on the northern wing had since been further narrowed. He did not indicate the locality. Captain Sertorius admitted that Lieutenant-General Anderson had caught the Germans by surprise in the Mateur area. He said that Lieu-tenant-General Anderson had quietly and secretly brought up considerable reinforcements, particularly heavyguns, to the left wing of the Ist Army, as a result of which American pressure increased and the Axis Command in the circumstances decided on a planned withdrawal. The German radio announced last night that Axis troops had been taken from the Russian front and sent to Tunisia. They had had fierce fighting in Russia and now they had to face the full force of the Allied attacks, said the announcer. “You liar. The Americans have captured Mateur,” said a ghost voice on the Berlin radio’s overseas service, when the announcer reported “only patrol activity in Tunisia.” Towards the end of the news the radio suddenly went off the air.

HEAVY RAID ON BIZERTE

AXIS SHIPPING LOSSES

FLEET OF BARGES BOMBED

ALLIED ATTACKS IN MEDITERRANEAN

(Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON. May 4. An Algiers message describing the heavy Allied raid on Bizerte on Monday, says that Flying Fortresses blasted a fleet of more than 100 barges lining the quays and also hit the submarine base and targets in the city. "Flying Fortresses, escorted by Lightnings, yesterday bombed the Bizerte docks and scored direct hits on port installations,” said yesterday’s Allied communique. "Medium bombers attacked Tunisian airfields and bombs burst among grounded aircraft. Fighterbombers attacked jetties on the Tunisian coast and fighters throughout the day swept and patrolled the battle area. Eight of our aircraft are missing from all operations,”

(Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, May 4. Reuter’s naval correspondent says that between 150 and 200 Axis ships were sunk or so severely damaged as to be rendered useless, by Allied air and sea attacks in' the Mediterranean in April. Ships definitely sunk totalled 54, including a large cruiser, three destroyers, and two U-boats. Those severely damaged include a heavy cruiser and a destroyer.

PRESS CONTROL IN ALGIERS

CAPTURED GERMAN DOCUMENT

STRICTNESS OF FRENCH ADMINISTRATION

PUNISHING SOLDIERS WHO SURRENDER (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON. May 4. A captured German document reveals that German soldiers who surrender in Tunisia can expect their families at home to be punished “for this shameless conduct.” The document. which is addressed to German battalion commanders, is headed, “Destroy this alter reading." The order goes on: “The names of Germans who surrender to the British and Americans are already known. Proceedings will be instigated against , them as soon ns they again come under German control. The consequences of this infamy will be visited on their relatives, Nearly all the criminals Vflurfbavc laid down their arms arc those who have spent the entire war ! n replacement, depots and have now tn critical times proved unworthv in battle,”

(Rec. 1 a.in.) LONDON, May 5. “General Giraud's civil administration in North Africa has imposed such strict control of the press that newspaper editors are instructed what prominence to give announcements from the Secretariat of Information.” says the British United Press correspondent in Algiers. “Announcements are released with instructions on them — tor example, ‘receive three-column heading,' or 'good place on first page.’ The method is similar to the press control familiar in Italy and Germany. “It is not known in Algiers whether the Government considers that such strict control is necessary because the Axis occupies part of North Africa, or whether the policy will change when the Tunisian battle is finished.”

PATRIOT RISINGS IN SERBIA

King’s Air A.D.C.—Air Chief Marshal Sir Ludlow-Hewitt has been appointed principal air aide-de-camp to the King ip succession to Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Duv.’ding, who has retired.— London. May 4.

(Kcc. 7 p.m.) LONDON. May 4. New risings are taking place in eastern Serbia, according to reliable information reaching London. The railway junction of Pozarevac was the centre of a recent disturbance when two local prefects of police and several German and German-employed officials were shot by patriots, and several public buildings used by the occupation authorities were burned to the ground. An important railway connexion was severely damaged and a bridge was completely destroyed.

The destruction of railway property is also reported from Bulgarian-occu-pied Jugoslav territory.