AXIS EFFORTS TO ESCAPE

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23945, 12 May 1943, Page 3

AXIS EFFORTS TO ESCAPE

Many Small Craft Sunk ALLIED AIR AND SEA ATTACKS (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) ißec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, May 10. “If the Germans had any doubt of the impossibility of evacuating from the Cape Bon peninsula, the intensity of the Allied air and sea bombardment must have removed it in the last 36 hours,” says an agency correspondent in North Africa. Describing the Germans’ first attempt at evacuation, the National Broadcasting Corporation's Algiers correspondent says: "They gathered a large number of small craft and barges at the little harbour of Porto Farina. When they wore embarking, our bombers pounded them. Simultaneously, British armour from the south and American tanks from the north arrived at Porto Farina. The Germans sent out an emissary and surrendered. About 5000 were taken prisoners, most of them Germans. “Up and down the shores of the Cape Bpn peninsula small craft crammed with Axis troops attempted to get away. They did not get far. Scores of our fighters and bombers blasted boats and prevented other boats from landing on the beaches, and shot all fighter opposition from the sky. British pilots saw Germans in boats wave white flags. They saw dozens of vessels blazing and sinking. They saw survivors clinging to rafts. It was not a wholesale evacuation. It was the beginning of the final surrender. "The Navy and Air Force have put up a screen of lire round Cape Bon. The enemy cannot get anything in, and ho will not get much out, apart from a handful who may sneak out by aeroplane at night. The way things are going now there will bo no Dunkirk.” The harassed and disorganised enemy, says another correspondent, is undergoing a ceaseless pursuit by immense numbers of aircraft, which have long since swept all opposition out of the skies. Scores of fighters and fight-er-bombers have already sunk many small craft loaded with troops and stopped other boats landing. Allied air operations, which also included devastating attacks on Palermo and Pantellaria, were carried out with the loss of five aircraft. Intense Naval Activity “Intense activity continued on the part of our naval coastal forces to prevent any escape of the enemy by sea,” states to-day’s Allied communique. "With (he clearing up and surrender of Tunis and Bizerte. most of the recent naval work has been carried out on both sides of the Cape Bon peninsula, where the enemy troops that remain are concentrated. “There have been incidents in plenty in addition to those reported in the Allied Headquarters’ naval communique yesterday afternoon. It is now learned that early yesterday morning one of our ships sank a barge full of troops, oil, and ammunition 30 miles north-easi of Cape Bon. “Yesterday one of the Allied light coastal craft also torpedoed an enemy vessel in the Russuda anchorage on the east side of the Cape Bon peninsula. The enemy vessel blew up. In the afternoon another of our ships bombarded an enemy battery at Sidi Oaoud, on the west side of the peninsula, with useful results. The blockade continues without remission, and it will be continued until the Cape Bon peninsula is in Allied hands and the last enemy troops in North Africa have been accounted for. Surrender to Americans “In north-eastern and eastern Tunisia all organised fighting ended on the 2nd American Corps Iront at 11 a.m. yesterday, the terms of surrender being unconditional. It is estimated that about 25,000 prisoners have been captured in this sector, including six generals. Counting has not yet been completed. Large quantities of enemy equipment and war material were also captured. Mopping-up operations continue. , „ . “In the sector south-east of Tutus, heavy and bitter fighting is still in progress, and the enemy is resisting with determination. By evening our armoured elements had made progress, and the advance continues. "The French forces also met with strong opposition in the Zaghouan sector, but they succeeded in making a local advance. “On the Bth Army sector, active patrolling was carried out throughout the day. A local attack achieved all its objectives and some prisoners were taken. „ . , .. “Yesterday, the Tactical Air Force maintained its heavy and continuous attacks on the enemy in the Cape Bon peninsula. Troops and transport were attacked without respite, and great damage was caused. Shipping round the coast on the peninsula and to me east of Bizerte was bombed. Vessels were sunk, others were damaged, ana considerable losses were caused to enemy personnel. A strong force of licht and medium bombers attacked an airfield in Sicily. Bombs burst among aircraft on the ground and seveial lues were started.”

BTH ARMY UNITS

PART IN ATTACK ON' TUNIS LONDON. May 10. "Some of the best-known units of the Bth Army, including the 7th Armoured and the famous 4th Indian Divisions. pulled out of the line north of Entidavillo and moved nortlvwestduring the night to join the Ist Army the next morning for the assault on Tunis.” says Reuter’s correspondent in Cairo. , ~ , “The Bth Army gunners laid down a violent artillery curtain while the great battle convoy started out, moving nose to tail along the winding mountain roads. British night fighters cruised overhead hour after hour. The British guns kept up the barrage for six hours and pinned down enemy infantrymen who were awaiting the Bth Army attack As dawn came over the hills at Mejoz cl Bab, the Bth Army units, who had not known their destination, were ready for instant action and they joined in the Ist Army’s initial thrust into Tunis within an hour of their arrival.” , ~ „ “The Bth Army hitherto has not been a mere idle spectator in the great advance with which the Allied forces swept to Tunis and then moved on to Cape Bon.” says the correspondent of “The Times” with the Bth Army, “General Montgomery’s men held and still hold a considerable number ol German and Italian troops in the mountains north of Enfidavillc, The enemy moved no guns or armour and few men from these heights to stem the Ist Army’s attack. The Bth Army has thus tied down 200 Axis guns. The enemy, it is believed, held a useful number of tanks ready to move westwards, but he miscalculated the suddenness, swiftness, and sureness of the great advance on Tunis.” y

BRITAIN’S STRATEGY

MR CHURCHILL’S PART NEW YORK, May 10. The British Ambassador to the United States (Lord Halifax), speaking in Chicago, said that after the fall of France Mr Churchill began to develop a strategy for victory and the decisions he made then began the long series of operations which finally brought the Allied armies into Tunis and Bizerte. The decision which Mr Churchill made at that time concerning the use of Allied armour would take its plage among the great events of history. ' . ..