ROMMEL POMMELLED

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 April 1943, Page 5

ROMMEL POMMELLED

EIGHTH ARMY’S VICTORY

OVER 6,000 PRISONERS TAKEN

RETREATING ENEMY CHASED

LONDON, April- 7.

“I have received reports from the High Command in Tunisia that a new victory has been gained by the desert army,” said Mr. Churchill m the House of Commons to-day. “At 4.30 a.m. yesterday, in the darkness of a moonless night, General Sir Bernard Montgomery ordered his main force to the assault of the enemy s Wadi Akarit positions north of Gabes. The advance of the British and Indian infantry divisions was preceded and covered by a barrage of 500 guns, practically on the Alamem scale. The enemy seemed to be taken by surprise by this attack out of the pitch darkness on his fortified positions. By noon all the key points were in our hands. A hole was blasted in the enemy’s 12miles defence line through which our armour was ordered to advance. The enemy tried to restore the position, but all his counter-attacks were repulsed. The advance of the British armour continued, and by nightfall yesterday the open country had been reached. We have taken more than 6000 prisoners so far. Marshal Rommel’s army is now retreating northwards and is being pursued.” Mr. Churchill added that this successful frontal attack would make possible a junction with the American forces thrusting from the west. The whole operations of the group of armies on the Tunisian front were being concerted by General Sir Harold Alexander under the supreme commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Asked if the enemy forces encountered in the Wadi Akarit were Marshal Rommel’s main forces or were rearguard units, Mr. Churchill said: “My statement covers the whole position. The enemy’s retreat did not begin until our assault was successful. A North African communique states: The Eighth Army successfully attacked the Akarit positions yesterday, and drove a wedge in enemy positions, after very heavy fighting. Enemy counter-attacks on the bridgehead position were repulsed. Fighting continues in the El Guettar sector. On the remainder of the front, our patrols were

“COMPLETE CRUSHING’’

LONDON, April 7

“The Bth Army resumed its offensive after a ferocious night bombardment by concentrated artillery,” says an American Associated Press correspondent at Allied Headquarters. “British troops smashed into outlying enemy posts, with tanks following closely in support. The attacking forces encountered terrific artillery lire and many mines.” The correspondent of the New York Times,” Frank Kluckhohn, says: “General Montgomery launched his attack without waiting for a junction with the Americans, which might have enabled Marshal Rommel to get fully set. This is a power move, obviously designed to lead to the complete crushing of Marshal Rommel as quickly as possible. The Americans and French, and the British Ist Army are holding Rommel in the coastal plain or along the easterly line of mountains', while the Bth Army with the most experienced fighters in Africa, pounds his rear.” “The Fighting French, who covered the west flank of the New Zealanders’ drive to El Hamma, are now moving up the coast northwards of Gabes in the course of operations with the Bth Army,” reports a “New York Times” correspondent. . Their strength is not revealed, but it is believed to equal that of the New Zealanders, and to include an armoured division from Egypt and the column General Le Clerc led across the desert from Lake Chad.” The Morocco radio reports that the Afrika Korps has begun a methodical retreat northward along the coastal road. “The latest air observations,” it states, “have revealed that Rommel has entrusted his crack troops, the German Grenadiers, to fight a delaying rearguard action. The Allies repulsed two German counter-attacks in the approaches to Pichon. In spite of all Axis efforts the Allies are strengthening the ring around the enemy.”

U.S.A. FORCES ADVANCE

Reuter’s correspondent with the sth Army says that large Axis forces were sighted at dusk on Monday moving from the area of the Grabes Gap after putting up a smokescreen in front of the American positions along the main road to Gabes. Heavy enemy traffic was observed withdrawing north-eastward. A large German tank concentration near Jebel Berda was bombed yesterday, after which it withdrew. The Germans were inactive on Tuesday morning. American patrols on the El Guetar front made contact with the enemy at only one point. There are signs that the Americans have intensified their attacks to synchronise with the move made by the Bth Army. East of El Guetar, they have captured two heights and have made further progress along the road to Gabes in the face of stiff enemy resistance. Infantry patrols advanced five miles along the Gabes road at this point, and patrols were active to the south of the road. At one point, a German counter-attack with tanks was dispersed after an air bombardment.

ENEMY SURPRISED

MONTGOMERY’S GENERALSHIP-

(Rec. 12.35 p.m.) „ ' LONDON, April 7. The Eighth Army is continuing the advance through the breach in the German positions. Tanks and armoured vehicles are shielding waves of infantry, declared the Algiers radio to-night. The radio earlier stated that the Eighth Army took several Axis Akarit defence lines at the point of the bayonet. This detail, though implicit in Mr. Churchill’s statement, i completes the picture of Rommel’s discomfiture in that early morning hour of darkness when his unsuspecting forces were deafened by the sudden roar of 500 guns, and found themselves being bayonetted from all sides by an unseen enemy. 'from the sparse details available, it is clear that the Germans held the Akarit position in great strength Montgomery’s offensive progressed with astonishing rapidity. It is the first time in North Africa that a big*scale attack opened in pitch darkness. The Algiers radio stated that the Eighth Army has driven a wedge m the Axis defences to the extent of twelve and a-half miles. Armoured and motorised columns throughout the day poured through the heavy breach in the enemy lines. General Montgomery, in a statement on the Eighth Army’s victory, said: My troops fought splendidly. The fighting was as tough as anything at Alamein. Describing the battle, the National Broadcasting Corporation’s correspondent says: The Eighth Army at four a.m. yesterday began blasting Rommel’s defences with one of the

heaviest artillery barrages of the Af- • rican war. Soon afterwards, the bat--1 tie units began rolling forward. The 1 chief Axis defence on the other side of Wadi Akarit centred on two hill positions. General Montgomery s I “desert rats” at six a.m., stormed and took the hills. Rommel at dawn faced the fact that his main defence line was lost. He launched counterattacks, but these were flung back. .Organised opposition ceased by 6.30 a.m. in this area, and by eight a.m., j the bridgehead had been won, and 1 the way was open for a smashing I drive which was to begin the second ' phase of the battle.

AXIS CLAIMS

The Berlin radio, to-night, declared that “the battle is continuing with undiminished violence.” Referring to events yesterday, the radio says: “There were heavy, bitter battles all day. Montgomery’s losses were heavy, because he had to work a way forward through heavily mined territory in Wadi Akarit.” The Rome radio says: “The Axis in Tunisia suffered heavy casualties. The Allies have greatly superior numbers and equipment. It is, however, necessary for the Axis to fight to the end, since Tunisia is Italy’s last bastion in Europe.” A British United Press correspondent in Tunisia says: Rommel has no defensive positions until 15 miles beyond Akarit, and no real line to hold on to until he is well above Sisa. , n j Reuter’s military correspondent says: Rommel cannot expect to find a suitable natural line on which to make a stand before Susa, which would mean a retreat of 150 miles. He adds that Montgomery’s offensive advanced with astonishing rapidity, which must have completely disconcerted Rommel. It is now clear that the Germans were standing on the Akarit position in great strength, and once again, Montgomery smashed through with a frontal attack, which was a magnificent feat of administrative organisation, being launched on a m'ujor scale, after only six days of oreparation. The Algiers radio states that the battle between the Americans and Germans in the El Guettar area continues. The Americans are now stated to be 38 miles from the Eighth Army. . The Americans, carrying out a local attack seven miles north of Maknassv. captured Djebelmaizizi on the Sidi’Boudid road.

BRITISH & AMERICANS JOIN

RUGBY, April 7.

A special communique from the Allied Force Headquarters states: The Eighth Army to-day made contact with the Second United States Army Corps from Gafsa. The advance continues and air forces from east and west are now enjoying common targets.

GENERAL ALEXANDER

(Reed. 10 a.m.) „ LONDON, April 7. Mr. Churchill said that General Alexander under the supreme command of General Eisenhower, is concerting the whole operations of the group of armies on the Tunisian front. Fighting continued in the El Guettar sector, where General Patton is pressing Rommel’s forces into a narrow box between the mountains and the sea.

AERIAL OFFENSIVE

ENEMY’S FURTHER LOSSES

LONDON, April 7

A North African communique states: “Throughout yesterday our Boston and Mitchell bombers made repeated attacks on enemy landing grounds, where bombs were seen to burst among grounded aircraft. On Monday night Wellington bombers raided the docks and shipping at Tunis. Yesterday very heavy and successful bombing attacks were made on shipping in the Sicilian Straits and the docks at the Sicilian port of Trapani. Six ships m a convoy were sunk, and an ammunition ship blown up. Many more ships ot all classes were sunk and others severely damaged in Trapani Harbour. „ , “Off Bizerta Flying Fortresses were attacked by enemy fighters, 15 ot which were destroyed. Altogether 2 I Axis aircraft were destroyed yesterday, and five Allied aircraft aie missing. “In Southern Tunisia enemy positions and vehicles were successfully attacked by fighter-bombers, and many fighter sweeps were made. On Monday evening four Italian torpedo bombers attempted to attack Allied shipping off the Algerian coast. AH were shot down by Hurricanes. Sergeant Jackson of Cheviot and Sergeant Cammock, of Papanui, were among the Hurricane pilots who shot down the Italian torpedo-bombers. Summarising the day’s air score throughout Tunisia, the British United Press correspondent m Algiers says: There has been nothing like this continuous air attack in military history. He adds that ffie day's work included the biggest attack against enemy airfields made in the present campaign. The chief target was Lafauconmere which is Rommel’s main air base as he retreats north. Over a hundred planes participated in this attack leaving great fires and a bomb-pitted anfield. Simultaneously, over the whole battle area, every fighter and every bomber available was on the job attacking enemy vehicles, gunposts, troops, tanks and communications. The Algiers radio said that reconnaissance reveals that over lay enemy planes were destroyed oi damaged on the ground dur ng the raids against aerodromes in Sicily on Large numbers of young men from Gabes and Medemne volunteered during the past three days foi the Fighting French services. As soon as the German rearguards left Gabes, nearly all the white population huiried to the river to prepare a crossing for the Eighth Army, as the Gumans had destroyed all bridges.

N.Z.ER’S SCORE MOUNTING

[N.Z.E.F. Official War Correspondent]

GABES, April 6. Squadron Leader G. R. Gray, D.F.C. and Bar, of Gisborne—one of the many New Zealanders flym o Spitfires over Tunisia—snot down a Messerschmitt 109 on Saturday. It was his third victory m the lasi 10 days. His score is now 20y? “I saw two Messerschmitts above me and thought I had no chance to get at them, but one of them went into a turn and I had him,” Sqadron Leader Gray said. “I let him have my cannons and machine-guns, and he went down in flames.” One of Squadron Leader Gray s flight commanders, a flight lieutenant from Golders Green, London, also shot down one Messerschmitt.

NAPLES EVACUATED. (Rec. 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, April 7. According to the Zurich correspondent of the “Evening Standard,’ Naples is to be evacuated. Telephone communication in Naples has broken down, and rescue squads are still working in the piles of wreckage. Reports from Stockholm say all of Southern Italy is in a state of alert as a result of the devastating Allied air raids on Naples and Sicily. The Italians believe the Allied raids are a prelude to an invasion of Italy. The “Daily Express’s” Stockholm correspondent lists these invasion reports: Firstly, German armoured trains are being rushed south to form a mobile defence system. Secondly, Italian newspapers give prominence to stories of an anti-invas-ion secret weapon. Thirdly, the Black Shirt Militia has formed special squads to deal with paratroops and saboteurs. Fourthly, the Italian Government has adopted regulations putting all civilians under martial law in the event of invasion. An Italian communique says that serious damage was done in the raid on Tuesday on’Trapani and Messina. Forty-six were killed and 109 injured.

S. AFRICAN FORCES

GENERAL SMUTS’ STATEMENT

(Recd. 12.30) CAPE TOWN, April 7. “It will not be long before South African troops have again taken their place in the North African battle,” said General Smuts, addressing the Senate. He added that it was decided to convert the South African forces into armoured forces, which meant recalling the First Division, not only for leave but also for training. Some of them had already returned to North Africa. j “South Africa is in the war to the end and will continue to do her best to secure victory,” General Smuts said. “South Africa has to rely on the United States more and more for exports, but it should be remembered that a great number of other countries also have to depend on America for supplies. The question of supply remains one of the Union’s principal difficulties. The American Government realised the stage would be reached where American _ industry would be slowed down owing to the inability of other countries to pay for the goods supplied. It was not merely philanthropy caused the United States to undertake the lease-lend system; it was probably introduced for two reasons: Firstly, to help the Allies; secondly, to keep American industry going. It was a magnificent gesture and made possible many things which otherwise would have been impossible. The United States Government has taken into account the Union s contribution to the general cause. “There is no question of providing America with naval and military bases. lam quite sure the United States would not ask any such concession. South Africa has reached the stage where, without turning from the main problem of winning the war, she can give her attention to what is going to happen after the war. The war may end suddenly—although I do not exnect it to-morrow —and catch the Union unprepared.”

DE GAULLE’S VISIT

RUGBY, April 7

Mr. Churchill announced that Britain throughout was in the fullest agreement with General Eisenhower, in deprecating a visit by General de Gaulle to North Africa, during the battle crisis in Tunisia, which required the undivided attention of the Allied High Command. BRIGADIER MILES

(Recd. 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, Apr. 7. Mrs Georgette Miles, the wife ot Brigadier Miles, is working happily to-day for the Merchant Navy Comforts Fund in London, after receiving confirmation from New Zealand of her husband’s escape with Brigadier Hargest. Mrs Miles, two days ago, received a letter from her husband from a prison camp. He said he was learning carpentry to pass the time. He added: Our hosts descended on us the other day to demand all our jewellery, except watches and wedding rings. We were given a receipt, and the jewellery is to be kept by the Bank of Italy, until after the war.

TURKISH MISSION,

(Recd. 1.25 p.m.) LONDON, April 7.

Reuter's Cairo correspondent reports that four officers of the Turkish Military Mission now in Egypt visited a base camp in which New Zealanders are engaged in intensive training. They watched infantry and specialist courses and also assault work.