SECOND EDITION FIERCE COMBATS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24540, 24 March 1943, Page 4

SECOND EDITION FIERCE COMBATS

THE MARETH LINE WITHDRAWAL TO GABES REPORTED AXIS MOVE By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Reed. 1.30 a.m.) LONDON, March 23 Fierce combats are progressing on the Mareth Line, the air and ground forces co-operating perfectly, says the Algiers radio. Allied planes are making repeated and concentrated attacks on the enemy's front positions. Our tanks are violently pounding the enemy strongholds, while the infantry is repeatedly engaging the enemy. The Vichy radio«says the Axis forces have fallen back to Gabes in order to secure more favourable positions. Cessation of Rains The weather was the signal for the Eighth Army offensive, states a correspondent at Allied headquarters. With sunshine replacing the rain of the previous days, General Montgomery launched his attack on the left flank of the Mareth Line, to the right of the road from Medenine to Mareth. As in all previous attacks, the Eighth Army commander chose a rather short front, only six miles of soft, wet sands separating the little village of Mareth and the seashore, but these six miles had been abundantly sown with mines and all kinds of obstacles. Our troops encountered stern opposition, but managed to reach their objective. Air Force Co operation During the whole of the attack perfect co-operation existed between the land forces and the air forces, which ran a shuttle service over the battleground similar to that at El Alamein. They operated from dawn to dusk with clockwork regularity. South African Bostons, Baltimores and Mitchells kept flying over the target and dropping high explosive bombs, while fighterbombers and fighters followed, strafing everything in sight. While the fighting on land is continuing, the air offensive is growing in power every day. The Eighth Army's attack is still going on, although the enemy is resistinglv strongly, says a communique from Allied Headquarters. Yesterday afternoon Rommel's forces made a heavy counter-attack, which was thrown back. Fighting is continuing. A correspondent says the Eighth Army's attack has developed into a two-pronged drive, one along the coast road to Gabes and the other a wide outflanking movement, working round the left flank, round the hills, and on through the desert, about 50 miles toward El Hamma, which is 20 miles due west of Gabes. Tough Job Along Coast The British' forces attacking along the coast had a very tough job, tiie correspondent adds. They had to cross a deep and difficult wadi and force their way against fierce opposition. Then they had to fight through a complicated trench system and mop up numerous machine-gun posts. Now General Montgomery's men are approaching a strongly held ridge. Fighting goes on ferociously, and satisfactorily for us. In the meanwhile the other British force is making its great sweep across the desert in an outflanking movement. At 9.30 o'clock on Sunday night it attacked enemy positions 15 miles south-west of El Hamma. These positions were stoutly defended. Our troops had to battle through minefields and anti-tank ditches and by 11 o'clock on Monday morning they were only 10 miles from El Hamma.