HARD STRUGGLE AHEAD

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIII, Issue 25, 29 December 1942, Page 5

HARD STRUGGLE AHEAD

RAIN HAMPERS OPERATIONS. LONDON, Dec. 27. The British United Press correspondent in Algiers said yesterday that after the Christmas fighting the British at Medjez el Bab hold good positions but a hard struggle is expected before the taking of the main ridge controlling a largo stretch of country. Heavy rains have pulped the ground which is very difficult for tanks, necessitating it drying out before a large-scale offensive. Last night's Fighting French communique reported that an enemy motoriscd detachment was put to flight at Fezzan after two days' fighting. A French Headquarters communique said: South of Point du Fahs we made an important advance and also improved our positions between Bizerta and Kairwan.

The Daily Telegraph's special correspondent, describing the Guards' attack on Christmas Eve, says the British and Americans put up the heaviest barrage so far in North Africa. Tho countryside was a sheet of flame as concealed 25-pounders and 105 mm. guns for 24 hours pounded 2000 shells against the enemy whose positions seemed to boil. The Germans vigorously replied after the cessation of the Allied fire. Unprecedentedly had weather has since been experienced, preventing the use of heavy vehicles with maximum effect. A tribute is paid to the Fighting French who, although inadequately equipped at the start, successfully resisted all enemy attacks.

The air losses have been 277 enemy craft to 114 of ours.

GIANT GERMAN TANKS

The Germans in Tunisia are using giant tanks whose armament includes a large anti-tank gun and 88 mm. giins (which broke many British thrusts in the earlier Libyan campaigns). These are the largest tanks with which the British and Americans have been forced to deal since the outbreak of the war. These huge tanks are not expected to he of much use offensively, because of the soggy ground and scarcity of strong bridges in the forward area, but thev are proving a formidable weapon in defence, for which they are used as mobile pill-boxes. The correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain with the French in North Africa, says that the giant tanks show that the Germans are quick to learn from the Russians who effectively used similar machines, particularly before Stalingrad. Germans taken prisoner recently are of a superior type, showing that the scratch troops hurriedly rushed up from France and Italy when the Allies landed have been reinforced by some of the best combat troops. The Germans are pressing on with defence works. The Medjez el Bab area is strongly laced with minefields and trench-works. Italians are little in evidence. Flying Fortresses escorted by fighters set°fire to dock installations at Bizerta and shot down two fighters and caused fires at Sfax. Our fighters attacked trains, trucks and shipping. Hurricanes attacked the enemy in the Mejez el Bab region. Four of our planes have not returned from these operations.