ALLIED NET CLOSING

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23943, 10 May 1943, Page 5

ALLIED NET CLOSING

Remaining Axis

Forces

ENEMY SAID TO NUMBER 120,000

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 1 a.m.) LONDON, May 9,

"British armoured forces are tigtitening the net round the southern Axis pocket in Tunisia, and have reached the base of Cape Bon peninsula by driving four miles from Hammam Lif along the coastal road from Tunis.” says the United Press correspondent at Allied Headquarters. “Organised Axis resistance is breaking under the British and American blows.

"Striking wherever the enemy is still concentrated, the Allied forces are biting off huge chunks from the remaining pockets north and south of the British wedge of steel, which divides northern Tunisia into two sectors. "The French have crossed the road and railway between Pont du Fahs and Zaghouan on a wide front, and have encircled a number of Axis troops in the mountains. British tanks and infantry have occupied Kasr Tyr and pushed on to a point 10 miles north-west of Zaghouan, after disposing of about 35 German tanks. The Americans striking south from Mateur have gained important points in the Tebourba area.’’

The Algiers radio estimates that 120,000 Germans and Italians are encircled in Tunisia, Allied bombers are ceaselessly attacking ships trying to reach Sicily from Tunisia and highways on the Cape Bon peninsula. Bombers sank a ship off the coast ol Sicily. Pilots report that about 50,000 Axis troops are retreating down the highways of the Cape Bon peninsula, on which fragmentation bombs are being rained. They say that one of the worst massacres of the war is certain unless the enemy surrenders immediately.

COMBINATION OF ALL_ARMS Drives To Tunis And Bizerte SWIFT SUCCESS OF IST ARMY LONDON. May 7. The offensive which ushered in the final phase of the Tunisian campaign marked a new high level in the smooth interaction of all arms and the wholehearted co-operation of many Allied elements to produce a knock-out punch which dazed the Axis forces. The Ist Army’s drive of more than 20 miles in little over a day and a half through an area which the enemy had carefully prepared for defence was probably the most spectacular event of the last crowded 48 hours, but the hard-fighting Americans and the French —de Gaullists as well as Giraudists—were well in the hunt. Dominion airmen will also be in the picture when the full story can be told. The British United Press correspondent with the Ist Army describes the Ist Army’s drive to Tunis as “a perfect combination of infantry, armour, artillery, and air strength, timed by a master hand.” .He adds that nothing could have withstood that onslaught. While the I st Army was punching a hole in the centre of the Axis line, French and American troops were closing in on Bizerte and Tcbourba. The French were assailing Pont du Fahs and the Bth Army was pressing the Italian and German mountain positions in the south to prevent any desperate diversion of forces. One hour after the Ist Army opened its offensive the Americans further north struck south-east towards.Tebourba. Crack German troops, including the Barenthin Division and Luftwaffe forces fighting as infantry, stubbornly defended the Chougi Pass, four miles north-west of Tcbourba, The Germans fought back with devilish ferocity, but the Americans by 10 a.m. held the pass and the further slopes. Heavy Artillery Barrage The British United Press says; "An artillery barrage at 3 a.m. on Thursday was the prelude to the great drive to Tunis. Hundreds of guns thundered out, including many rushed up to the newly-won Jobel Bnu Aoukaz. This time wo had the high ground with us and made the best use of it.

“The infantry, following El Alamcin tactics, went in after the barrage lifted, bore the brunt of the early fighting, and made the way for the tanks to break through into more open country. The infantry gained their first objectives within two hours, after which Allied bombers staged non-stop raids against the infantry’s second and third objectives. The infantry struck to the south-east and captured Jebel Frenj. Another infantry thrust cleared a large hill west of Massicnult.

“The armour went in at 5 p.m. Lumbering giants clanked and rattled along the roads and across the fields. German tanks were waiting hull down with only their tops showing and backed up by mobile guns, all prepared to blast our tanks as they swung into action, but the boot was on the other foot.

“We had brought up heavy guns during the night of May 5. and they helped to blast a way for our armour, which roared on • to the plain and found a total of 60 Axis tanks opposing them. A brief tank engagement occurred sixmiles west of Mr.ssicault and the Axis tanks withdrew after severe losses. German Units Scatter

“The Ist Army moved down the Tunis road at the rate of a mile an hour. Crack German units, including the Goering Division, scattered to the hills and appeared to be powerless to attack. -

“Our left flank moved towards Furna, three miles from Massicault. Furna was reported to bo well defended. but our airmen had pulped it and it proved no obstacle. One armoured unit parsed Furna and another swept round Massicault towards St. Cyprien. The Axis forces withdrew to avoid encirclement. “We had a steel ring round Massicault, which was entered at 3 p.m.— nine miles ahead after 12 hours. We had torn a great hole in the German defence lino on a four-miles front. “One hundred Allied bombers, concentrating their attack into 10 minutes, shortly after 3 o’clock, smashed St. Cyprien. which was a rallying point for the enemy’s mobile reserves. Our most advanced column reached a point three miles west of St. Cyprien, where the enemy was holding a'line running north and south. “More and more British tanks, infantry. and artillery rolled no and we consolidated for the next move. At nightfall we had covered 13 miles and were within gun-range of Tunis.” General Le Clerc’s Fighting French, who have been almost continuously in action since their desert trek from Equatorial Africa, were in the Bth Army’s van in the Enfidaville sector, and Genera] de Larminat’s Fighting French on the other wing of the Bth Army threatened the railway from Pont du Fahs to Tunis and made a bold attempt to outflank Pont du Fahs from the north-west. The Axis forces bitterly defended Pont du Fahs against General Giraud’s French and Americans pressing from the south and west.