THE CHIEF ISSUE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 301, 19 November 1942, Page 5

THE CHIEF ISSUE

BATTLE FOR TUNIS SPEED ESSENTIAL (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (Special Correspondent.) (Roe. 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 18. * The battle for Tunis has now become the overriding issue in the Mediterranean. It is all-important for Britain and America to make the strongest thrust possible before the Germans can build Tip a big forco there, which they apparently are attempting. The British plans are believed to be progressing satisfactorily and the First Army will have powerful support from the air. Speed is the essence of the campaign—as it has been throughout the whole of the occupation of North Africa—and this factor, which is believed to have influenced General Eisenhower to accept Darlan in his present position. Durian’s activities during and after the fall of France are not overlooked by the Allies, but General Eisenhower probably had no alternative but to accept Darlan if he hoped to carry out his plans to schedule. They arc

actually now ahead of schedule. The present feeling in London is that the fighting at Tunis will bo stiff, with the Germans making every, possible attempt to hold out. While the Gormans arc reinforcing Tunis, reports suggest they are apparently not sending heavy reinforcemonts to

Rommel, who has undergone an unmerciful pounding by the R.A.F. during his retreat, both day and night. Rommel, it is believed, has a force of about 12,000 men and a small number of tanks, and is probably making for a locality where he may have reserves to make a stand. One view in London is that the French fleet is unlikely to bo a fight-

ing unit any longer—three of the big ships being in dry dock—while it is also unlikely that the Germans would allow them to leave Toulon. If they did they would bo subjected to artillery, dive-bombers, and U-boats. ENEMY SHIPS FOR ALLIES. An Official AVirelcss message says: The United Nations have a wel-

come windfall awaiting them in North and West Africa in the shape of 200,000 to 300,000 tons of shipping now lying in ports along that coast, said an official of the Ministry of Economic Warfare to-day. The Axis, in addition to losing this tonnage, will find the task of their coastal/ shipping along the African coast more dangerous than ever. Of the results of the North African campaign, the official said Axis Europe had been making do with onty half the normal quantity of phosphates needed for fertilisers, but henceforward they would have only one quarter of the quantity required. This, however, would not affect the 1943 harvest. Owing to the shortage of high-grade iron ore, Germany had stepped up the North and West African ore production from 53,000 tons in 1941 to 440,000 tons in 1942, the latter figure representing 16 per cent, of the yearly consumption of Axis Europe. This supply was now denied to the Axis.