TUNISIAN CAMPAIGN NEARS END

Grey River Argus, 12 May 1943, Page 5

TUNISIAN CAMPAIGN NEARS END

RESISTANCE CEASES IN SOME AREAS

ATTEMPTS AT EVACUATION FAIL

♦ Allied Blockade of Cap Bon Peninsula

RUGBY, May 10

The position of the Axis troops in Tunisia is reported in Press messages to be becoming more and more desperate, now the blockade has been tightened round Cap Bon Peninsula by’ Allied air, sea, and land forces. The Germans are resisting with the greatest determination in the hil y regions along the coast of South-east Tunis to cover the general retreat into the Peninsula, but British armoured units and infantry continue to advance. The latter encountered strong German artillery and mortar fire from well protected positions in the hills, but nothing could check the progress German tanks came' into action near Suliman. Strong resistance was also met by, the k rench near Zaghouan. Further German commanders who surrendered to the Americans were Major-Generals von Vaerst. sth Panzer Division, Nauffer, von Daumsenge and Buloudious. The famous Afrika Korps was rapidly liquidated It is learned that the enemy tried to embark at Porto Farina, before the Allied tanks approached, but were prevented by the Quick action of Allied bombers, and surrendered. The harassed and disorganised enemy is undergoing ceaseless pursuit by immense numbers of aircraft, which have long since swept all opposition out of the skies. Scores of fighters and fighter-bombers have already sunk many small craft loaded with troops and stopped other boats landing. RESISTANCE CEASING.

[Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] LONDON, May 10. Reports from Tunisia to-day speak of steady progress by the Allied forces converging on the Cap Bon Peninsula, where remnants of' the Axis forces have taken refuge. In the Bizerta, Tunis' and Tebourba areas all organised resistance is at an end, through there is still a good deal of mopping-up to be done. There was still heavy fighting yesterday at the base of the Cap Bon Peninsula hnd in the area directly below it. Forces of the Eighth and First Armies and French troops are threatening to cut off all the Axis forces on the peninsula. “With the occupation of Zaghouan by the French and the encirclement of the Cap Bon Peninsula, where British infantr" and tank forces and the United States Second Corps are continuously advancing, the Tunisian campaign seems to have approached its end,’’ says an Allied communique broadcast by the Algiers radio. It adds: “Enemy resistance is completely disorganised .and prisoners are surrendering by thousands, while important quantities of war material are bein' 7 abandoned by the Axis on the roads, which are being systematically machine-gunned and bombed by the Allies. Pockets, of enemy troops are being methodically eliminated.” The 8.8. C. has corrected a report in an earlier transmission that the Allies had captured Hammamet, which would have meant that the entrance to' the Cap Bon Peninsula had been sealed. It was Hamman Lif, 10 miles south-east of Tunis, which was captured. Heavy fighting continues in the area of Hammamet and in the area north of Zaghouan.

Surrender to U.S. Troops

FIGHTING CEASES ON ONE FRONT. LONDON, May 10. To-day’s communique from Allied Headquarters in North Africa says that in north-east'Tunisia all organised fighting on the Second United States Corps front ceased at 11 a.m. yesterday, the terms of surrender beia unconditional. On this front 25,000 prisoners have been captured, including six generals, but the count is not yet completed. Large quantities of equipment and material have also been captured. In south-east Tunisia heavy and bitter fighting is still in progress and the enemy is resisting with determination. Our armoured elements made progress yesterday evening and the advance continues. The air section of the communique says that yesterday our aircraft made heavy and concentrated attacks on enemy troops and transport in the Cap Bon Peninsula area and did great damage. Shipping round the coast of the peninsula and east of Bizerta was bombed. Some ships were sunk and others damaged, and there were considerable losses of enemy troops. The naval section of the communique states that our naval and coastal forces continued their activities to prevent any escape of the enemy by sea. The Cap Bon Peninsula is blockaded and the blockade will continue until the peninsula is in Allied hands and the last Axis troops are accounted for. TERMS OF SURRENDER RUGBY, May 10. When all organised fighting ended on the Second United States Corps front, at 11 a.m. on Sunday a correspondent of the Allied Headquarters says, the German General. Krause requested an armistice for the purpose of negotiating surrender. The Second United States Corps offered him three terms for surrender • —first, it must be unconditional; second, the terms must be accepted promptly; third, the destruction of German'equipment must cease immediately. Krause accepted the terms, and by 1 p.m. all German resistance ceased. Of about 2a,000 prisoners already counted in this sector, fewer than 400 were Italians. The count goes on. 1000 PRISONERS AN HOUR. LONDON, May 10. Cap Bon Peninsula is rapidly becoming a huge war prisoners cage, .ringed by the Royal Navy. . The Algiers radio said to-night that Axis prisoners are coming m at the rate of 1000 an hour. It is authoritatively stated in London that there are about 140,000 Axis troops still to be accounted for and that if the number of prisoners is found to be fewer than expected it will indicate that the enemy losses have been much higher than expected. It may well be that the killed and wounded total 100,000, leaving 40,000 to be dealt with. NAVAL PATROLS ROUND CAP BON. RUGBY, May 10. A North Africa communique states: With the clearing up and surrender of Tunis and Bizerta, the most recent naval work has been carried out on both sides of Cap Bon Peninsula, where the enemy troops that

No Way Out

remain are concentrated. There have been incidents in plenty in addition to those reported by the Allied Headquarters naval communique yesterday afternoon. It is now learned that early yesterday morning one of our ships sank a barge full, of troops, oil and ammunition 30 miles northeast of Cap Bon. The Peninsula has been closed and blockaded, although support is still lacking from many ships at sea. The naval task has been sustained and arduous, particularly on the part of the naval patrol of light craft. Yesterday, one of the Allied light coastal craft also torpedoed an enemy vessel in the Rassada anchorage on the east side of Cap Pon Peninsula. The enemy vessel blew up. In the afternoon, another of our ships bombarded an enemy battery at Sidi Dauod, on the west side of the Peninsula, with useful results.

EVACUATION ATTEMPTS FAIL, LONDON, May 10. The National Broadcasting Corporation’s Algiers correspondent describing the Germans’ first attempt at evacuation says: They gathered a large number of small craft and parges at the little harbour of Fortofarina. When they were embarking, our bombers pounded them, Simultaneously, British armour from the south and American tanks from the north arrived at l-’ortofanna The Germans sent out an emissary and surrendered. About five thousand were taken prisoners, mostly Germans. Up and down the shores of the Cap Bon peninsula small craft, crammed with Axis troops attempted to get away. They did not get far. Scopes of our lighters and bombers blasted the boats and prevented other boats from landing on the beaches, and shot all fighter opposition from the sky. British pilots saw Germans in boats wave white flags. They saw dozens of vessels blazing and sinking. They saw the survivors clinging to rafts. It was not wholesale evacuation: it was the beginning of the final surrender. The Navy and Air Force put up a screen of fire around Cap Bon. lhe enemy cannot get anything in and fie will not get much, out, apart from a handful who may sneak out by plane at night. The way things are going now, there will be no Dunkirk. NO EVACUATION POSSIBLE. RUGBY, May. 10. An Agency correspondent in North Africa says: “If the Germans had any doubt of the possibility of evaluating from Cap Bon Peninsula the intensity of the Allied air and sea bombardment must have removed it in the last 36 hours.” In the Peninsula and the Hamma-met-Zaghouan-Soliman triangle there may. still be about 100,000 Axis troops, and reports make it clear that they are fighting desperately.

RESISTANCE ENDS IN SOUTH.

LONDON, May 10

The Algiers radio to-night announced that enemy resistance hact ceased in the southern sector to-day. proir to the announcement that resistance had ceased in the southern sector, the British United Press correspondent with the British Armies stated that there was a triple thrust •'gainst the Axis in the area approaching Cap Bon. Our forces were movin' 7 down from Tunis aiming to cut off the mouth of the Peninsular. The Eighth Army was exerting pressure from the south, while the French were in action from Zaghouan northeastwards. It is estimated that the enemy west of the mouth of the Peninsula include infantry units of the 10th and 15th Panzer Divisions and the 90th and 164th Light Infantry, besides some Italian units in the coast area.

HEAVY BITTER FIGHTING IN SOUTH-EAST. RUGBY, May 10. Heavy bitter fighting continues in South-eastern Tunisia. The Germans are resisting here and there and they are gathered in the very hilly country south-west of Cap Bon Peninsula. Armoured divisions are' attacking them on the north of their positions, driving a wedge between them and the peninsula itself. Despite German determination, our advance continues. The' First Armoured Division is pushing down south of Creteville. On Sunday; light armoured patrols reached a' point about 12 miles east of the town, while the Nineteenth Corps was pressing forward east of Zaghouan and the Eighth Army put in a local attack, which reached all objectives. The position is that although most of the German Army came north, infantry remained in the south to fight the Eighth Army and it is the infantry we are dealing with now.

Meanwhile, the Allied air forces are dealing with what might appear to be the first real sign oi an attempt at evacuation. The Navy, with orders to burn, sink and destroy, has already closely blockaded the whole peninsula. R.A.F. reports were specific. They said that Germans in small ships and barges waved white Hags in surrender. Numerous vessels were blazing and sinking, and inland scores of trucks were burning by the roadside, where they had been shot up by fighters, as the troops were making their way, to the beaches. enemy resistance stiffens, LONDON, May 10. Enemy resistance west of the Cap Bon line stiffened considerably in the past, twenty-four hours. There has been fierce fighting in the Hammamlif area. Our troops are now past the Hammamlif crack. The Hermann Goering division holds a position here: also east of Creteville. British tank columns are pushing forward to crack the German line and reach the Plains of Soliman area, thence across the mouth of the peninsula to Hammalet thus completely sealing off the mouth from the Axis now west of the line MR. CHURCHILL’S “STRATEGY” FOR VICTORY. RUGBY, May 10 Lord Halifax speaking at Chicago said that after the fall of France Mr. Churchill began to develop the strategy for victory, and the decisions he, made then began the long series of operations which finally brought our armies into Tunis and Bizerta. This decision Mr. Churchill made at. that time concerning the use of our armour will take its place among • the great events of history.

Mr Attlee’s Review

ENEMY PROSPECTS BLEAK. (Rec. T.lO a.m.) LONDON, May 11.. Reviewing the Tunisian campaign to date, Mr. Attlee, in the House of Commons, revealed that the First Army’s casualties since April 1 ( totalled 8,400, and the Eighth Army casualties from April 20 to May 3 just over 2,400. Referring to a certain feeling of impatience with the slow progress of the campaign, Mr. Attlee said: “The difficulties of supply on a long line of communications have not always been realised. We should, in our appreciation of the victory, do well to remember the services of the men who supply those engaged in the lighting. Naturally the rapid advance of the Americans in the north and the break through of our armour in the centre, culminating in .the capture’of Bizerta and' Tunis, overshadow the rest of the fighting. Those advances were only possible because of hard and difficult fighting in which the Allies engaged against stubborn enemies occupying positions of the greatest natural strength. General Alexander achieved the final break through in the central sector. His preliminary preparations included strengthening the First Army by switching formations from the Eighth Army. The First Army covered the final thirty miles to Tunis in thirty-six hours, leaving the enemy battered and demoralised, with little organised resistance. In General Alexander’s words: “It was a real thunderbolt.” The Americans almost simultaneously entered Bizerta, after crossing extremely difficult country. We* estimated that we have taken prisoner since May) 5 at least 50,000, mostly Germans, and the number is continually increasing. Remaining anxieties apart, from the small pockets holding out here and there, are mostly in Cap Bon Peninsula. Thus far the battle has gone well. It is still too early to say how long m'y.’s hope of resistance or escape, but I think we can say that their prosit will last or to speculate on the enepects are bleak.

ILSo-British Conference ?

DECISIONS ON FUTURE ACTION. (Rec. 1.0) NEW YORK. May 11. The “Herald-Tribune’s” Washington correspondent says that informed observers believe that the Allies’ North African successes will be followed swiftly by Anglo-American conferences at which it will be decided when and where the United Nations will next hit the Axis. It is possible that there will be another Churchill-Roosevelt heart-to-heart talk, such as have already played a large part in planning Allied strategy. Washington is regarded as a likely venue.

ITALIAN GENERAL NOW IN CHARGE. LONDON. May 10.

The Berlin radio has admitted that both Marshal Rommel and General von Arnim have left Tunisia and that the troops are ndw upder the control of an Italian, General Messe. It is recalled that he criticised Rommel for leaving the Italians behind at El Alamein. His criticism was published in Italy. Dr. Gayda. writing in “Giornale D’ltalia,” dwelling on the odds against the Italians in the last phase of the Tunisian battle, said the Allied planes reached a total of five thousand against the Axis “modest number*.”

TUNIS LITTLE DAMAGED. LONDON. Mav 10.

A correspondent states that Tunis -suffered very little from bombing, and at Lagoulette only the buildings on the dockside have been badly knocked about. The enemy had done his best to block the entrance to the main basin at Lagoulette. Several medium sized merchantmen were sunk right across its mouth. Lighters and barges were set on fire and many were found already burn., down to the waterline. “But the port is in much better shape generally than I expected to see it.,” the correspondent concluded.

ENGAGEMENT OFF SICIILY RUGBY. May 10.

In a short spectacular engagement off Sicily, two Spitfires destroyed four enemy aircraft, three of which were shot'down by Squadron Lead(jp Lynch, who downed Malta s thousandth enemy aircraft, a few days ago. Three of the enemv were Cant seaplanes, the third a JUS2. Lynch and his companion also attacked three ME2lo’s, one of which was damaged.

FATE OF ADMIRAL ESTEVA. LONDON, May 10. Referring to the fate of Admiral Esteva. the “Telegraph’s” correspondent in Tunis says the Germans told him evacuation was to be expected and he must leave with their forces. The Admiral replied that he was a sailor and would stay with his ship. It is reported that Esteva threatened the Gestapo agents with a revolver, but wa's overpowered and carried off and manacled to a plane for transference to Europe. Another report says that an R.A.F. lighter brought down the plane off Cap .Hon. This is not yet verified, but it seems established that the Germans blew up Esteva’s personal corvette two or three days ago.

ARRIVAL IN VICHY. (Rec. 11.30) LONDON, May 11. The Berlin radio announced that Admiral Esteva arrived in Vichy last Saturday, having stayed at his post to the last moment.

FRENCH UNITS CONTINUE ADVANCE. RUGBY. May 10.

A North African French communique, quoted in an Agency report, states that the French units,, bypassing the Zaghouan heights, continued their advance and are mopping up pockets of the enemy resistance. By Sunday night all the western part of the mountain chain was in French hands. The French Air Force successfully attacked enemy vessels off Cap Bon. A French battalion which has been fighting in the Bouarada area marched into I unis yesterday morning, says an Agency correspondent. He adds that it was treated like a conquering army. Another Tunis message says that the stream of prisoners along the roads has caused frequent traffic hold-ups.

MAN-IN-THE-STREET REACTIONS. LONDON, May 10. It has been interesting to observe the average man-in-th.e-street’s re " action to the Tunisian victories. They have been what might be called typically British. There is deep pleasure felt" everywhere, yet surprisingly little demonstration. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say the British public accepted the unexpectedly quick collapse of the Germans in much the same way as they- accepted news of Dunkirk. Then the 8.8. C. announcers gave “hard, heavy tidings” in matter of fact, unemotional voices. Newspapers “splashed” it and the people said one to another, “News is bad,” and the reply was, “Yes, isn’t it.” There was never in the average man’s mind the thought that Hitler could ever conquer Great Britain, and everyone felt a glow of pride when Mr Churchill so aptly described everyone’s feelings. There was almost the same outward reception of the news to-day. Announcers give the news in the same calm, imperturbable voices.

Newspapers are filled with accounts and descriptions of the various phases of the fighting. You hear people saying, “News is good,” and the same old reply, “Yes, isn’t it,” yet beneath that reserve you know there is deep pride as the conversation continues, “I wonder what will happen now.” This background is built on the same confidence that refused to admit defeat but steadfastly believed things would come out alright in the end. In public houses darts are probably plunked in dart boards a little bit'harder and everywhere, while people continue to talk about the weather, gardens and domestic affairs, there is a subtle brighter feeling, as though the sun had suddenly come out from behind a dark cloud. Looking back over the past three and a-half years, it is probably right to say that the British people were only seriously annoyed or put out twice—firstly, when Norway fell, and secondly, when Rommel raced to Alamein. On both occasions it was felt that avoidable blunders were made, and that the nation would not stomach them. I argued slightly to-day with a South African journalist who expressed the opinion that this phelgmatic reception of the victories was due to the recent surfeit of good news, that the public were complacent. having expected it. This may be right, but I feel the average man-in-the-street' is uncomplacent, that the people as a whole realise if the last phase of the European war is before them, it still remains one of the most difficult periods, but they will face up to it in the same quiet way. I remember being in Devon in the New Year. 1940, hearing two farmers talking. One said it had been a great year, and I thought of Greece. Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain, and the blitz, and I was interested in what reply was coming. Then the second farmer said: “Aye, it is a rare summer, and has been a grand year for crops.” It is that attitude of mind which is still the sheet anchor of the people to-day.