DAMAGE AT TUNIS AND BIZERTE

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23944, 11 May 1943, Page 5

DAMAGE AT TUNIS AND BIZERTE

Enemy Wrecking And Allied Bombing

BEACHED SHIPS AND RUINED DOCKS

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON. May 9, "The Germans in Bizerte wrecked everything they had time to wreck,” says Reuter’s correspondent at United States Headquarters. “However, the power plant and most of the public utilities were found unharmed. In the harbour the Germans sank eight ships and a ferry, and wrecked docks and cranes.” Describing the final assault, an Allied soldier said; "Whole hillsides were covered with German dead. We overran their gun positions, crushing the gun-crews under the wheels of our tanks.” The British United Press correspondent reports that civilians killed in Tunis in all the bombing, shelling, and fighting, are believed to total about 1800. The correspondent describes the wreckage in the Tunis dock area and warehouse district as being as bad as anything he saw in London during the blitz. It is now possible to give details of the devastation caused by the Allied air forces at points such as the El Aouina airfield, the port of Tunis, and La Goulette, and also of the terrible experience of hundreds of British and American prisoners aboard an Italian ship which was subjected to Allied bombing, says a British Official Wireless message. El Aouina is a remarkable tribute to Allied bombing and strafing. There are the wrecks of at least 100 German aircraft and a few Italian machines littered round the edges of the airfield. Many are largo transport aircraft. The hangars and buildings are in ruins and the paths are strewn with great piles of broken masonry and metal work. Some German pilots had flung down their parachutes as they fled and in one corner were some German cars with petrol already in the tanks ready to be driven away, and lacking only the ignition keys. The city of Tunis itself is practically undamaged, but the docks there and at La Goulette are in ruins. All warehouses by the dockside are gutted and broken to bits. Jetties and quays stick out brokenly from the water. Moored alongside are numerous ships, all beached or sunk by bombing and varying in size from barges to 6000-ton vessels. In the port of Tunis the biggest wreck is that of an Italian ship which, the local inhabitants report, was hit during an air raid when it was carrying bombs into Tunisia.

There are many wrecks at La Goulette. Several ships were still burning yesterday and a cloud of smoke was rising over La Goulette. Allied Prisoners’ Experience

Out on the other side of the water, says the Air Ministry News Service, was another cloud of smoke where a German ship had been sunk. Near the shore a large Italian ship was aground. Small boats were bringing to the beach load after load of British and American prisoners of war from this ship They told a terrible story of the bombing of the vessel, which was loaded three days ago with nearly 700 prisoners.

The ship steamed out of Tunis harbour intending to make for Italy with a destroyer escort. The prisoners saw the destroyer sunk by Kittyhawks off Cape Bon. Without an escort, they said, the Germans and Italians on board refused to make the run to Sicily and they put back to La Goulette.

"Tlpen we went through three days and nights of hell,” said one British officer. "We were bombed and strafed repeatedly by our own aircraft The pilots had no way of knowing that there were British and American prisoners aboard, although later we did try to put identification signs on the deck. Bombs fell all round and damaged the ship’s plates. One hit the side and left us with a list. There was another direct hit. but fortunately it was a small bomb and only superficial damage was done. It was a miracle that the ship was not sunk. She had to be run aground.

"The Italians left after the first bombing attack, but the Germans stuck it out at their guns almost to the end. Then they went ashore. An Italian sergeant came over last evening and took a party of our sick and wounded ashore. The rest had to endure another night of bombing and more to-day.

"The air attack was terrible. We were crammed into the two holds with scarcely sufficient air to breathe and for the last two days there was no water. There 'were no sanitary arrangements and we had little food.. It was a nightmare.” Fortunately only one British prisoner was killed by the air attack and one was wounded.

KINGS MESSAGE “DEBT OF DUNKIRK REPAID ” (8.0. W.) RUGBY, May 9. The King, in a message to General Eisenhower, said: “With the capture of Tunis and Bizerte your campaign is almost concluded. The last enemy forces in Africa are being captured, and the debt of Dunkirk has been repaid. "On behalf of all my peoples I express to you, as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, and to all ranks under your command, our heartfelt congratulations on your victory.” LOSS OF AFRICAN EMPIRE ITALIAN REACTION (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, May 9. Instead of being celebrated as Italian Empire Day, to-day will be observed as "the day of Italy’s right to Africa.” The Rome radio in an Empire Day message to Italians in Africa declared: "The soil you inhabit is still an integral part of the motherland, although it has become a theatre for the shameless prowess of the Americans, who are revealing their primitive redskin strain. Wait for us. We shall return." The Minister for Italian Africa (General Teruzzi), in a speech, said: “Our hearts are full of anguish over the Tunisian drama. Against the enemy's barbaric superiority in material we have given up some ground, but ‘he battle continues. Our spirit is out there, solemnly on guard. One day that spirit will sow the seed of a new conquest.” SAVING IN SHIPPING SPACE MIDDLE EAST COUNCIL’S WORK (BOW.) RUGBY, May 9. More than 1.000,000 tons of shipping space has been saved in the last year for military imports into the Middle East. The saving has been achieved primarily by growing more grain in the Middle East, by converting coal burning machinery to oil burning, by stimulating industrial production, and by improving import licensing machinery. This was announced at a meeting of the Middle East Supply Council in Cairo.

tack. but their losses were negligible. Complete reports are not yet to hand. “Early on Sunday light naval forces sank two enemy merchantmen of medium tonnage. Enemy positions near Kelibia, on the east coast of Cape Ben. were shelled by naval units on Saturday eveningtand early on Sunday morning. At present, the enemy is making no attempt to embark a major number of troops.” An Allied air communique said: “Strategic Air Force bobbers and fighter-bombers kept the Sicilian Straits under constant surveillance. During these sweeps several vessels were attacked.’’