ROMMEL’S REVERSE AT KASSERINE

Grey River Argus, 27 February 1943, Page 5

ROMMEL’S REVERSE AT KASSERINE

AMERICANS OCCUPY THE PASS

Enemy Retiring Also From Gafsa

[Aust & N.Z. Cable Assn.l L LONDON, Feb. 2(

A North African communique states; The enemy continued tne withdrawal from the pass north-west of Kasserme, where our elements are in contact with the enemy Our patrols are already at Sbiba ana have been engaged by the enemy,. French troops cleared several pockets of resistance, which remained from the recent attacks. A number ol it., - ians acting as rearguards to the Germans were captured. Our fighters and light bombers, following tne enemy withdrawal in Central lumsia. made repeated heavy attacks on motor transport, road and rail installations. Vehicles' were destroyed in these attacks. Enemy airc^ a Jp dropped bombs behind our lines. One was destroved. ' . Reuter reports: Axis forces nave been cleared from the entire region north-west .and west' of the Kasserme Pass. They are hastily retreating through the Pass with British and American troops hot on their heels. Advanced Allied troops are contacting Axis rearguards just inside the western mouth of the Pass The situation has been restored to last week’s alignment except that the Germans have suffered heavy and possibly irreparable losses m tanks and equipment. French troops, sall\dn a out of the mountains west 0ith’e ’busseltia Valley, crushed enemy posit’ons one after another in what may be another determined Allied drive in that sector. Another press correspondent stated: “Allied troops are keeping up the pressure on the enemy retreating the Kasserine-Thaia area and have penetrated the Kasserine gap. and a're not on the heels of the Germans and Italians. Reports from the area indicate that .advance patrols are in contact w’th the enemy just inside the pass Allied Forces to the northeast, in the Sbiba area, wnere the enemy made two tank attacks during the week-end also pushed forward. Although the weather is not particularly good for flying, bombers and fighters kept up a pounding of the enemy at Kasserine. Martin Marauders made a raid on the Al Aouina aerodrome, the Tunis terminus of the enemy’s transport plane serv'ce Bursts were seen among planes parked in the airfield. Many were destroyed, and a large hie started. Marauders were attacked by 25 to 30 enemy lighters, six ol which were shot down, live by bombers and one by the escorting fighters. Boston bombers attacked a railway yard at Sbeitla Another formation of bombers, escorted by Spitfires, bombed and strafed an enemy column attacked enemy vehiclesiSsruth of Kasserine, while French bombers went into action tor the first time in this campaign when they attacked an enemy concentration at Nefta, west of the salt flats in the south. R.A.F. lighters were active in the forward areas, strafing roads and Bisley bombers attacked supply roads in the Kasserine-Fen-ana-Gasfa area. Reuter’s Algerian correspondent says: Axis forces are retreating from Kasserine 'Pass to the plains eastward of Kasserine, Feriana and Sbeitla, but have not yet left 'the pass entirely. There is a possibility that Axis forces may attempt to approach Tebessa by striking _ aiound the southern bend of hills' in which Kasserine Pass Under heavy blows from British and American air and land forces, the Germans are pouring back into the open plain south of the threernile wide Kasserine gap. The tight compact mass is suffering heavy, losses The Italian troops are being sacrificed in the attempt to hold tne German rear. Another Axis force is still falling back along the road to Feriana under increasing attacks from Allied lighters and bombers. The Paris radio says that tne British-American reinforcements have reached the Tebessa' area. Reuter’s correspondent on the lunisian front says that many of the Italians cut off in the pass leading to Siliaim have already surrendered. The attempt to relieve them by a second battalion sent from Ousseltia Valle'? failed completely. The B B.C. reporter in Tunisia reports that the Germans have now been cleared from the western end ot the pass. The Allies are using every type of a’rcraft from Flying Forlresses to Spitfires, in repeated and heavy attacks. ' „ The Algiers correspondent or the National ° Broadcasting Company stated- “The battle of Kasserme is ours. It has developed into a complete victory! for us.” While British and American troops are swarming into the Kasserine Pass, the Alliel Air Force spread tne air assaults deep in the enemy’s rear. The Allied communique stated: On Tuesday night the roads and other targets' behind enemy lines were bombed. Yesterday, our bombers attacked airfields in Tunis. Manyhits were seen among the grounded aircraft. Several enemy, fighters were shot down as well as enemy transport. Six of our aircraft are missing. One previously reported missing is safe. In the Eighth Army area, our armoured cars carried out active patrolling east of the Mareth The' Berlin radio admitting the withdrawal, said the Axis forces had fallen back to positions which permitted control of the Allied development area. French sources at Algiers report •a fresh attempt on French lines, west of Ousseltia, which was repulsed, with serious "losses to the enemy, the French are clearing up pockets of enemy resistance. Although the Allied communique only- refers to the Eighth Army as patrolling east of the Mareth&Line, it is significant that much of the German strength from Kasserine is moving southwards towards Gafsa in order to reinforce the German garrison there against .attack from the south. Strong French forces are reported to be deploying below Shott el Jerid. The Germans have combined two of their most effective desert warfare weapons by mounting the famous 88 millimetre' gun, in the new Mark six tank. The largest Allied , tank gun is the 75 millimetre. ' It is believed that the new German tank has not surprised the Allies, and the answer to it, if -not yet ready, is being prepared. . AXIS TRANSPORT BOMBED. RUGBY, Feb. 25 R.A.F. Headquarters, Malta, states that R.A.F. torpedo bombers last night attacked an enemy convoy north of Tapani, hitting and sinking a large supply ship in five minutes Another large supply ship was hit', both by a torpedo and bombs. A destroyer escorting the convoy; was also attacked with torpedoes. Intruders were over Tunisia, Italy, and Sicilv, where trains were attacked. Another enemy convoy steaming north of Cape Alici, Italy., was also attacked.

An R.A.F Middle' East communique says fighter bombers raided enemy landins grounds at Burdj and Toarz on Tuesday night, and light

bombers attacked positions between Wadi Zigwau and the Aran-Mareth Road, causing explosions and fires. American planes oombed positions in the- same area, fires resulting. Medium and heavy bombers attacked the landing ground at Gabes and the town itself the same night, bombs bursting among dispersed aircraft, starting fires. From all operations one of our planes is missing.

Americans Take Pass

ENEMY'S NIGHT WITHDRAWAL

(Rec. 11.55.1. LONDON, Feb. 26. The American forces occupied the Kasserine Pass on Thursday morning, after shelling it all nightlong, says the British United Press correspondent on the Tunisian front. “The German artillery withdrew during the night, leaving heavy minefields to delay pursuit. The Germans are also believed to have evacuated Kassftrine town and to have withdrawn their main forces from the Gafsa area.

“American infantry attacked. at 6.30 a.m. on Thursday over the right shoulder of the Pass. They met with no opposition. Their engineers immediately began lifting the mines, which were laid in a crisscross pattern at ten foot intervals, while American tanks lined up behind their engineers, waiting to go through the Pass as soon as a way was cleared. “British forces moved along the left shoulder of the Pass at noon. American troops are now • advancing in strength over the plain northward of the Pass.”

Americans in Form

ENEMY’S CLEAR-CUT REPULSE

MR. STIMSON’S COMMENT.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25.

Mr. Stimson, at a Press conference said that Rommel's forces in central Tunisia had suffered a clean-cut repulse. Nevertheless, victory will not be eiasy oT quick. American personnel losses were lighter than at first believed. The material losses were heavy, includin gtanks, cars and field guns. However, most of the lost equipment was already' replaced. Constant a'r support vitally' helped the .successful counter-attacks, hut the most significant reaction came from the ground troops. They were not broken by the German advance, and returned with a vigor the Germans were unable to withstand. General Eisenhower reports that all complacencyi has gone. The soldiers are thoroughly' fighting mad.

Mr Stimson said the greater part of the British First Army was still immobilised by the mud in northern Tunisia, but units from this army gave important assistance to American troops, hurling back a German column advancing beyond the Kasserine Pass. In southern Tunisia, the British Eighth Army, was beginning to exert heavy pressure. Mr. Stimson predicted very heavy fighting on the' entire Tunisian front. Correcting a widespread impression that American forces in Tunisia were green. Mr. Stimson explained that thev; merely lacked actual combat All' were highly trained, but were matched against battle-hardened veterans. Mr Stimson asserted ■ that no soldiers in any' army can learn as quickly, or with the same resourcefulness as Americans.

EIGHTH ARMY.

PRESSING ON MARETH LINE.

(Rec. 11.30.) LONDON, Feb. 26. A Cairo message says: General Montgomery is increasing pressure against the Mareth Line defences, before which more fighting units now joining the Eighth Army. The weathther is sunnier and drier. The R.A.F. is bombing enemy strongpoints. The Eighth Army is confident it can crack the Mareth Line

Political Prisoners RELEASE BY} GIRAUD (Rec. 11.30) LONDON, Feb. 26 The Algiers radio announced that General Giraud sanctioned the release of thirteen hundred political prisoners, mainly de Gaullists, Communists and former members of the International Brigade in the Spanish war.