AXIS FORCES FLEE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24538, 22 March 1943, Page 3

AXIS FORCES FLEE

SUEPIiISED AT GAFSA GENERALS SEE OPERATION (Reed. 9 p.m.) LONDON, March 20 The Morocco radio says General Giraud, when visiting wounded in an Algiers hospital, disclosed that he was present at the capture of Gafsa. He said the Italians and Germans ran away quicker than they came. He added: "We are witnessing the beginning of an offensive which will end in Berlin." Generals Eisenhower, Alexander, Patton and Giraud watched the capture of Gafsa from forward positions, according to Allied force headquarters. All the generals have now ) returned to their bases. Describing the recapture of Gafsa on Thursday, a war correspondent on the Tunisian front says that within a few minutes of the first American shells being fired tho Germans began to evacuate the town. The attack began shortly, after dawn when artillery and bombers began to bombard the enemy positions at the north end of the town. Few Enemy Shells Fired The Americans had moved up within a few miles of the town during a night attack and caught the enemy completely by surprise. Their batteries fired a few shells only in return. Bombers and fighters dived low over olive groves on the east side of the town, where enemy troops were in position. Infantry began to advance 011 the town. On tho conclusion of the bombardment they had to make their way through minefields the enemy had laid at all the approaches. Sappers dug the mines out of the roadways, but the cneiny caused big craters to be made in tho main road by electrical mines. The first American troops entered tho town shortly after mid-day. They were greeted by the native population, who stated that the whole enemy garrison had fled an hour before. A French column moving up from the south-west contacted German reconnaissance units on the outskirts of Gafsa, but there was only a light brush. During the whole day there was no sign of enemy aircraft, although there were plenty of R.A.F. machines. Town Looted Before Retreat The correspondent adds that the police chief said the enemy, who were largely Italians with a few hundred Germans, began to leave the town almost immediately after the opening of the bombardment, getting into lorries, while a few tanks covered the withdrawal. During their stay the enemy looted the town and killed all the cattle for meat. Most of the enemy made their way toward El Guettar, about 12 miles to the south-east, and were heavily shelled by our artillery on their way. The fact that tho enemy did not defend Gafsa came as a surprise. The correspondent revealed that General Patton is commanding the American troops in Tunisia which are in General Alexander's command. Router's correspondent on tho Gafsa front savs General Sir Bernard Montgomery tricked tho Germans with the Eighth Army's looal activity on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Germans Bwitchcd the Luftwaffe south, resulting in a complete absence of air opposition when tho Allies occupied Gafsa. HAVOC ON RAILWAYS MALTA PLANES RAID ITALY (Reed. 9.6 p.m.) LONDON, March 20 Malta's fighter-intruders were over Southern Italy and Northern Sicily last night, says the British official wireless, when widespread attacks were made on rail communications. Thny destroyed 14 locomotives, set fire to goods waggons and fired on two ships. Malta's great day on Wednesday, when its air forces struck-heavily at an enemy convoy, was followed bv a renewal of tho offensive tho same evening. As soon as night fell Malta went 011 the offensive again with fighterintruders ranging over Sicily and tho "too" of Italy in the moonlight. They left trails of havoc on railways. Trains were attacked until locomotives either blow up or were brought to a standstill enveloped in steam. A goods train was raked, brilliant white flashes coming from the trucks. Two railway stations and a railway junction wore gunned thoroughly. Heavy hlack smoke came from ono station and two explosions from another. Tho intruders shot up signal boxes at other points. Altogether it was a grand day for the air force of Malta, Liberators of the Ninth United States Air Force attacked Naples harbour in daylight on Thursday and again during the hours of darkness, says a Cairo message. The results were not observed owing to solid cloud over tho target. ALLIES LEAVE TAMERA LONDON, March 20 The Allies have withdrawn from Tamera and are now holding positions three miles south-west of Tamera. Renter's Algiers correspondent, commenting on this withdrawal, points out that von Arnim's forward units are only 20 miles from the vital road junction at Jcbel Abiod. tho capture of which would enable the Germans to outflank tho British further south in the Beja area. The British United Press correspondent, however, takes a less serious view of the evacuation of Tamera, saying that onlv a limited Axis force attacked and that tho thrust cannot be considered a serious threat to General Anderson's line. The correspondent adds that Hurri-bonibers and Spitfires attacked Tamera after our evacuation and set fire to the railway station. CRACK POLISH PILOTS LONDON, March 20 A number of crack Polish fighter pilots are among recent reinforcements to the H.A.F. in Tunisia, says a Cairo message. They include representatives of nearly every Polish fighter squadron in existence at the time Poland was invaded, and many of one combat team took part in the battle of Britain. WOUNDED MEN VIEW FILM LONDON, March 21 Wounded men of the Eighth Army in Cairo were given a special pro-view of "Desert Victory," the film in which they and their comrades wore the stars, They said their advance was not quite such concentrated excitement, but they all liked tho film. The audience included Mr. lit. G. Oasoy, British Minister of State in the Middle East, and Air ChiefMarshal Sir William Sholto Douglas, who is just back from Turkey.

AMERICAN SUCCESS LONDON. March 'JO Congratulations on the success of the very fine operation on Thursday in which American heavy bombers made their deepest raid into Germany, when they effectively attacked the U-boat building yards at Vegesnck, were conveyed by Air Chief-Marshal Sir Charles Portal, head of the R.A.F., to Major-General Ira C. Kalcor, commanding the United States Bomber Command,