FLIGHT FROM GAFSA

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 67, 20 March 1943, Page 5

FLIGHT FROM GAFSA

AXIS TROOPS AVOID BATTLE j in—n.i i .irimn i (Rec noon.) RUGBY, March 19. ! Describing: the recapture of Gafsa yesterday, a war correspondent on the Tunisian front says that within a few minutes of the first American shells being fired the Axis began to evacuate the town. The American attack began shortI ly after dawn, when artillery and bombers began to bombard the enemy positions at the north end of the town. The Americans had moved up within a few miles of the town, during the I night. The attack caught the enemy j completely by surprise. Their batteries fired only a few shells in reIturn. Bombers and fighters dived low over the olive groves on the east side of the town where enemy troops were in position. Infantry began to advance on the town on the conclusion of the bombardment. They had to make their 1 way through minefields, which the I enemy had laid at all the approaches. ' Sappers dug the mines out of road- | ways, but the enemy caused big craters to be made in the main road by electrical mines. The first American troops entered the town shortly after midday. They were greeted by the native population, who stated that the whole enemy 'garrison had fled an hour before. A French column moving up from the south-west made contact with German reconnaissance units on the outskirts of Gafsa. but there was' only a light brush. TOWN LOOTED BY AXIS. During the whole day there was no sign of enemy aircraft, though there were plenty of R.A.F. machines. The correspondent. adds that the chief of police said the enemy force, which was largely Italian with a few hundred Germans, began to leave the town almost immediately after the opening of the bombardment, getting into lorries while a few tanks covered the withdrawal. ■ He said thsft during their stay the enemy looted the town and killed all the cattle 'for meat. Most of •* the ! enemy made their way towards El Guettar. about 14 miles to the southeast, and were heavily shelled by our nrtillery on their way. The fact that the enemy did not defend Gafsa came as a surprise. The correspondent revealed that General Patton is commanding the American troops in Tunisia, which is General Alexander's Command.— 8.0. W.