Rommel Launches Attack on Eighth Army

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 56, 8 March 1943, Page 5

Rommel Launches Attack on Eighth Army

Heavy Losses in Tanks for Little Gain (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received Sunday, 7.50 p.m.) LONDON, March 7. Rommel launched a large-scale offensive against the Eight Army at dawn yesterday. British anti-tank guns quickly and without loss destroyed 21 German tanks which attacked with infantry support. Fighting continues. It is believed to be hottest two miles east of Mareth town and about six miles south-east of the actual Mareth Line. Extensive skirmishing and artillery duelling has been occurring between the British and Italians and Germans in this area since Wednesday. Reuter’s correspondent at Allied Headquarters says Rommel is continuing to follow his bold precept of hit the enemy before he hits you, but last time he did this against General Montgomery was the prelude to the German disaster at Alamein.

The British United Press correspondent in Tunisia says the Allied forces following the occupation of Pichon are massing at the western entrance of the mountain pass leading to Kairouan, but the Germans are preparing a new drive against our positions at Tamera. The Axis thrust in Northern Tunisia has cost them at least 45 tanks and between three and four thousand men.

Little concern is felt in official quarters at the German gain. However, a further six-mile advance would take the Germans to Jebel Aboid, thus giving Von Arnim control of the important supply road from Tabarka to Beja.

The real battle for Tunisia will soon begin, according to a report which has reached the French military mission in America from French headquarters in Algiers. The critical phase is stated to have ended with Rommel’s failure to exploit his offensive. Fresh developments now depend on General Montgomery’s assault on the Mareth Line. It is predicted that this will be the signal for the final Allied attack. Reuter’s Algiers’ correspondent says the British troops after fierce house-to-house battle at Sedjenane were forced back along the main coast road seven miles to Tamera where their positions can be better defended than at Sedjenane. Counterattacks can also more easily be launched. The Sunday Express says Von Arnim is hurriedly switching planes from other fronts. He used diveboinbers to blast the First Army from Sedjenane to Tamera. Divebombers strafed the road leading westward from the town and also heavily plastered the town itself. British and German artillery are still indulging in gun duels across the valley east of Medjez El Bab. The Germans occasionally make sorties towards the outskirts of that town.

The reported Allied advance of 25 miles from Sbeitla to Sidi Bouzid is confirmed in London. The latter place is a dozen miles west of Faid Pas 3 whence the Germans started their counter offensive. According to the New York radio Allied troops have captured the Faid Pass itself which is the gateway to the Central Tunisian plain. The report is not officially confirmed but earlier North African dispatches suggested that the Germans had retired into the Pass following the Allied occupation of Sidi Bouzid. The recent heavy assaults on the British bastion facing Tunis and Bizerta have died down for the moment except in the extreme north where the possession of Sedjenane is disputed. Pressure along the road north-east of Beja has been especially heavy but the iro:i£ from there to the main pivot at Medjez El Bab holds firm. Neither has the enemy succeeded in undermining the pivot from the south. Medjez, however, still lies in a dangerous salient.

An Allied North African communique says: “Allied armoured units on Friday advanced further eastwards and entered Pichon 20 miles west of Kairoilan. Enemy activity in Northern Tunisia was on a reduced scale but our vigorous patrol activity continued in all sectors and small local gains were achieved. Thirty enemy tanks have been destroyed since the enemy started his attacks in the north. Eighth Army patrol activity continued and enemy working parties were successfully engaged by our artillery. French patrols continued their activity in the Shott el Jerid salt lake area."

Reuter’s Algiers’ correspondent says American armoured vehicles just beat the French forces to the capture of irichon. The French are now only a few miles from Pichon and are meeting little resistance as they drive from Nefta towards Tozeur. Reuter’s correspondent in ! Tunisia, detailing the capture of Pichon, says the Allied forces which swept into Pichon on Friday took the town after trekking 70 miles in nine days across mountain tracks. They were the advance guards of the victors of Kasserine Pass and had pushed across the country from Sbeitla, dodging minesown roads and blown-up bridges. The northern arm of the advance took Pichon after resistance from ten enemy armoured vehicles which were forced to withdraw.

T’-.s Algiers’ radio says Trench troops occupied Ousseltia without resistance. It added that the Trench forces skirting the shore of Shott El Jerid in the last 24 hours made further progress. The Allied forces have captured raid Pass and further south are approaching Gafsa from which the enemy is seemingly preparing to withdraw. Tlying Tot-tresses have sunk four ships and disabled two others of an enemy convoy off Bizerta, says a correspondent in North Africa. This brings the United States Army Air Torce toll of Axis Shipping in the Mediterranean since November 8 last to 33 sunk, X 5 severely damaged and 40 damaged. An K.A.T. Middle East air communique says: “Our heavy bombers on Thursday night heavily attacked Naples harbour starting fires. Trom these and other operations one of our planes is missing.’ ’