REPULSED AGAIN

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 143, 14 December 1942, Page 5

REPULSED AGAIN

NAZI INFILTRATION IN TUNISIA

ATTEMPTS FAIL

LONDON, December 13.

More enemy attempts to infiltrate into the British positions around Mejez el Bab' in Tunisia, have been repulsed.

Yesterday the enemy followed up their attempts of the previous day by trying to infiltrate north and south of the town, which has been described by an American correspondent as the pivot of the defences in this area. All the enemy attempts were stopped.

Allied headquarters says apart from this, action yesterday was confined to patrolling by our advanced forces in the forward area.

British parachutists who were dropped behind the enemy lines a week ago have returned after doing considerable damage. The Germans sent out tanks, armoured cars, and lorry loads of infantry in an endeavour to round them up. On Monday the paratroops knocked out two tanks and three trucks. Before dawn on Tuesday they made a surprise raid on an enemy airfield 10 miles from Tunis. They destroyed five or six aircraft on the ground and set fire to stores before they withdrew. They also shot up enemy transport. When they ran short of explosives they decided to return to the Allied lines through the mountains. This meant an 80-mile march. They slept during the day and kept going at night. Arabs gave them food to supplement their rations, and they got back little worse for their adventures.

Allied aircraft in Tunisia have been hammering at the enemy forward positions, docks, and railways. Yesterday and on Friday Spitfires attacked enemy tanks, motor vehicles, and infantry on the northern battlefield, while American Flying Fortresses, - escorted by Lightnings, struck heavy blows at the Tunis docks. This raid is described as the most successful the Allies have yet made in Tunisia. Many hits were scored on the docks, and an enemy supply ship was hit. Lightnings carried out a sweep over the'battlefield in southern Tunisia, destroying two enemy planes. • They also attacked a railway near Sfax and enemy vehicles on the road.