ROMMEL OUTGUESSED

Evening Star, Issue 24476, 10 April 1943, Page 5

ROMMEL OUTGUESSED

COULD HOT BRING UP HIB TANKS LIGHTNING BLOWS * (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. noon.) RUGBY, April 9. The Tunisian situation, as seen in London, is that, while in the extreme south the Americans, French, and perhaps some British troops are clearing the Jebel Chemsi area, the Eighth Army is moving through the coastal gap across the Mezzouna-Mahares road and the railway. The enemy is getting north by the coast road through Sfax, by the other main road due north towards Kairouan, and by any other available means. In the north the British attack north-eastward from the Mejez el Bab-Munchar line has progressed half a dozen miles into the south side . of. the enemy salient between Medez and Sed Jenane. The rapidity with which the Eighth Army mounted the attack at Akarit prevented the enemy concentrating all his beat troops and armour there to meet it. This was because most of the German troops and tanks had been sent to prevent the Americans advancing against, the flank.

The account of the last fortnight's nghting shows how this was the culmination of the process by whicli Rommel was forced out of the southern defences m Tunisia. The Akarit hills were taken so swiftly that the enemv was unable to pull back the Germans trom the American front in time lor a counter-attack, which was therelore made only at half-strength, and failed. The _ Eighth . Army went straight through and Rommel had to withdraw from both the British and Americans as quickly as he could. The Germans are reported to be retiring from Manures and from Mezzouna, 20 miles from Maknassy, on the Maknassy-Sfax railway, where the American pressure is increasing. The German News Agency said there had been tough nghting at Ousseltia and Bouarada, and also at Medjez el Bab and in the coast area in the neighbourhood of Cap Serrat. The News Agency, admitting the abandonment of Pichon, says the Axis firmly maintained mountain positions northward and southward of Pichon, where the Allies are attacking in order to support tho British thrust in the vicinity of Medjez el Bab and Beja, aiming to tie down the Axis forces.

The Algiers radio states that Americans from Maknassy have reached Me/.zouna. and added that French and American forces operating east of Maknassy are on the point of joining up with tinAllied forces coming from the south. The Associated Press Algiers correspondent reports that the United Slates Second Corps is mopping up east of K\ Guetta*. and has taken 1,300 Axis prisoners.