NORTH AFRICAN CAMPAIGN CENTRES IN TUNISIA

Grey River Argus, 23 January 1943, Page 5

NORTH AFRICAN CAMPAIGN CENTRES IN TUNISIA

UNION OF ARNIM AND ROMMEL’S FORCES

Latter Strafed Severely by R.A.F. Near Tripoli

[Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] LONDON, Jan. 21. On Wednesday, the Eighth Army had no ground engagements. There was hardly any artillery fire. The British communique at Cairo stated: On Wednesday our forces occupied Homs and Tarhuna and during the day were in contact with the enemy retreating to the west, states today’s Cairo communique.' Allied aircraft continued their attacks on enenjv troops and transport at a number of points in the Tripoli area. Heavy bombers in an attack on the Tripoli harbour area scored hits on the mole. On Tuesday night, Castle Benito aeridrome was bombed with good results. West of Tripoli enemy transport concentrations were attacked. Off Tripoli torpedo-carrying aircraft sank one enemy supply ship and damaged another. A third ship was damaged by another aircraft in the same area. A fourth Axis ship was sunk in the Aegean Sea. Three Allied aircraft are missing from these operations.. The Afrika Korps of Marshal Von Rommel increased the speed of retreat across the rich, fertile Jafara Plains, leaving no other obstacles than mines and boobv traps. The spearhead of General Montgomery’s army passed Tarhuna, and reached part of the famous automobile circuit south-east of Tripoli, behind the natural hilly defences between the sea and the inland road. Befor e reaching Homs on Wednesday morning. British troops passed through the little town of Garibaldi, and ruins of a Roman town of Liptus. Royal Air Force ’planes are well within Tripoli, continuing their ef- j forts against the enemy, not only be- j tween Homs and Tripoli, but further • west up to the Tunisian frontier, states a Cairo message. They bombed concentrations of troops west of the town on Wednesday. In successful attacks as far’ as the Tunisian frontier, the Royal Air Force bombed and machine-gunned stationary and moving transport. The road to Tunisa on Thursday with stranded. burning vehicles, was very similar to all others from El Alamein to TripoliFighting French forces are making rapid progress north to join up with the Eighth Army R.A.F. Offensive

PILOTS' ACCOUNTS. LONDON. Jan. 21. German forces are streaming west from Tripoli towards Zuara, under constant attack from Allied aircraft. On Tuesday this road was littered with wrecked vehicles, exploding and catching fire. Traffic was hopelessly jammed, with very few vehicles moving. It was a death trap retreat.

A description of th e recent enemy withdrawal in Tripolitania was given by the pilots who returned to their bases during Tuesday night. They said that when the first intruders arrived there was a solid line of traffic leaving Tripoli, travelling westward. In bright moonlight traffic made great targets. Bombers attacked roads, scoring hits on dispersed vehicles. They left fires among military stores and villages near thp roadside. One bomber* attacked a line of traffic a mile long. Flying along it, he strafed several vehicles at the rear of the column, setting them on fire and completely blocking the road. Then a light bomber bombed the other end of the line, hitting the road and blocking it. The column was jambed with other vehicles piling up in a helpless jamb that reached miles back towards Tripoli. One pilot said: “It was a strafer’s paradise. We started fires along five or six miles of traffic moving in dispersed groups.’’ Other fighter aircraft operating west of Zuara located more enemy transport choking the roads and proceeded methodically to shoot it up. Many vehicles blew up and large fires were started. So hurried was the enemy’s withdrawal when night fell that he decided to risk travelling with full lights, but they were soon put out. At the first approach of the aircraft they pulled swiftly off the road and dispersed. Men ran for cover W’hile then* vehicles were machinegunned. The pilots maintained an increasing attack until their ammunition was exhausted. By midnight 50 miles of roadway between Tripoli and Zuara were reported to be a shambles of wrecked vehicles. The enemy covered his withdrawal with well-prepared zones near the roadside, but this did not save him. Fighters weaved in_and out, dodging the fire to press home their attacks. At the close of the evening there were few moving vehicles on the road in contrast to the activity around Tripoli earlier on, when streams of traffic were observed moving northwards towards the coastal road in addition to unending convoys moving westward between Tripoli and Zuara. East of Tripoli fighter-bombers attacked German convoys in waves, scoring three hits on vehicles, starting ‘two j large fires and two smaller ones, ■ while five explosions were heard near Castle Verdi. Eighth Army Closing on Tripoli GERMAN ARMOURED FORCES ENTERING TUNISIA. (Rec. 11.56.) LONDON. Jan. 22. The Columbia Broadcasting system’s Cairo representative says: The long voyage. to the west is nearly over. The victorious Eighth Arrnv a few hours from now will be at the gates of Tripoli. That city is preparing today for their entry. It will be interesting to see how many Italian troops will be abandoned .this time. Evidenc during the last few days is that Marshal Von Rommel has been giving the German armoured forces special priority. Portion of his armoured forces has already crossed the Tunisian frontier. It should not take long to clean up the few scattered Italian forts remaining beyond Tripoli. Tripoli will not be the last of the Eighth Army’s achievements. General Montgomery has promised to “knock Rommel for a six, out of Africa,” and he will do it if he follows the Afrika Korps to Tunis. He will drive Marshal Von Rommel till he drops.’’ AMERICAN COMMENT.. WASHINGTON, Jan. 21. The Under-Secretarv for War. Mr ; Patterson, said that the lull in Tuni- i sia was due to unfavourable -weather, I although there was considerable air action. Allied ’planes were maintain- | ing a two to one superiority over the

Axis. The rapid advance of the Eighth Army .threatens Tripoli, the fall of which seems a matter of hours. Rommel’s withdrawal was orderly and the casualties light. It is doubtful whether Marshal Von Rommel could establish an effective line.

Enemy Prepares Stand AGAINST EIGHTH ARMY. (Rec. 8.50) LONDON, Jan. 21. German and Italian forces are reported to be strengthening tne Mareth line, which is sixty-five miles inside of Tunisia', for a stand against the Eighth Army. Supplies for the Mareth line are being shipped from Tripoli. Supplies are also going from Tripoli for the defence of the area around Gabes.

GROWS TO 160,000 Axis Army BIG PROBLEM FOR ALLIES. LONDON, Jan. 21. .The “Standard’s’’ correspondent at Allied- Hadquarters in- North Africa, states: The effective union of Marshal Von Rommel’s Afrika Korps with the German forces in Eastern Tunisia will present Allied commanders with the most difficult tactical .situation they have yet faced in North Africa. It is unlikely that the Allies will be able I to launch anything more than limited I attacks to prevent the union. Such ' attacks will hamper, but will nor. prevent the junction of the two armies -and their formation into a formidable force, estimated at least at. 160,000 operating on supply lines considerably shorter than ours. If this force could hold a bridgehead in Tunisia until the end of the Summer, our use of North Africa as a base for operations against the European coastline would be impossible. There is every reason to believe that th e Germans will attempt to make such a stand, and even launch strong local offensives through Mateur and Medjez el Bab. Nobody here is over optimistic over the Allies’ chance of preventing the armies joining, nor does anyone consider the coming campaign to oust the Germans will b e anything but long, arduous and

costly. It is certain that General Montgomery will follow Marshal Von Rommel over the Tunisian frontier, but after the delay of the last few montns it. is improbable that the Eighth Army will be able to assault the enemy’s positions without spending considerable time resting, regrouping, and consolidating. We must realise, firstly, that the enemy, within a month, has become numerically as strong as, or stronger than, the Allies, with more experienced commanders; secondly, that he receives sufficient supplies to fight a prolonged defensive action; thirdly, that the Allies in Tunisia cannot afford immediately to launch a full-scale attack , against the junction of the two German armies. The United States Office of War information reports that the Italian Press has changed its attitude towards the Britsh Eighth Army’s sweep across Libya. . The “Giornale d’ltalia” said that territory is no longer important. The big thing was to hold such African positions as were useful for further developments in the naval war. The panes said that Tunis was the key of the Axis position. The Algiers correspondent of the American Associated Prss says: “The Axis forces are doing their utmost to perfect the defences of their present lines, arming every promising sum-

mi,t with guns, which have alreEtdy several times forced the Allies to give up objectives.” In Tunisia the German Commander (General Von Arnim) is endeavouring to consolidate his hold on the coastal strip in order to keep the way clear for Marshal Von Rommel’s retreating forces. Fighting in the Bou Arada-Goubellat area is still in the balance. Allied forces, with tanks, are engaged in an all-out attempt to confine the German advance in this area to its original seven miles. One point where Marshal Von Rommel’s forces may be able to make a stand is the Mareth line, 65 miles inside Tunisia, and 130 miles beyond Triooli. The defences here are three lines deep. They originally faced Tripoli, but have been turned by the Italians to face Tunisia.

Axis Advance; CONTINUED IN TUNISIA. LONDON, Jan. 21. i The Columbia Broadcasting Sys- | tern’s Algiers correspondent says toI day’s communique indicates that the Germans have continued their adI vance into Tunisia. The German Panzers are making a twin thrust down parallel valleys in the direction of Ousseltia, reports the Associated Press Algiers correspondent. This is interpreted as an effort to isolate, then occupy, the range between the two valleys, which would ensure protection for the coastal route eastwards, along which Marshal Rommel might move in his withdrawal from Tripolitania to join the Axis force in Tunisia. Tunis Battlefront NOW FLUCTUATING. RESULT OF ENEMY’S POWERFUL THRUST. (Rec. 9.40.) LONDON, Jan. 21. The “Daily Express” correspondent with the First Army in Tunisia, says: The Germans have made a southwestward drive in Tunisia, which has altered the whole strategy of the battlefront, after havino - been for six weeks in a fairly static position. The Tunisian' battlefront now is again fluctuating. The correspondent states: About forty tanks, and a regiment of shock troops formed the backbone of the German south-west thrust, with other units in support. The Germans have skilfully used the Luftwaffe in Force. Enemy bombers from Sicily took part. Thev were closelv interlaced with dive-bombers and fighters, operating from Tunisia. The divebombers operated from the hard sandy coastal plain. The enemy fighters shift their position daily. They often are taking off from beaches, racecourses, ant tried up valleys. Massively backed bv the air, and with a

great weight of tanks and guns, including American seventy-five millimetre guns, the enemv thrust went through the positions of the Allies. More British Forces SENT TO PONT DU FAHS AREA. (Rec. 11.56.)' LONDON, Jan. 22. British reinforcements have reached the Pont du Fahs area. According to an Allied Headquarters spokesman, the Allies have lost important ground in th e Pont du Fahs area. German Advance CONTINUES 25 MILES BEYOND PONT DU FAHS. (Rec. 11.50.) LONDON, Jan. 22. The Birtish Associated Press correspondent at Algiers says: "German tanks and infantry are driving south-west from Pont du Fahs. They have reached a point about two miles from Robaa, which is twenty-seven miles from Pont du Fahs. NEW YORK, Jan. 21.

“Pertinerax” understands that it is planned to appoint General Catroux as President of the special board which will co-ordinate General De Gaulle’s and General Giraud’s movements. General Catroux, instead of General D e Gaulle, would go to Algiers to reach an agreement, between General Giraud and General De Gaulle. The “New York Times’s” Washington correspondent savs: M Peyrouten’s appointment caused marked misgivings and no enthusiasm in informed quarters in Washington, but there is a disposition, to assume that General Eisenhower had reasons for approving.