FIRST ARMY MAKING GROUND

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24555, 10 April 1943, Page 7

FIRST ARMY MAKING GROUND

MONTGOMERY'S MEN CONTINUE PURSUIT By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (.Received April 9, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, April 9 The Allied armies are advancing on all fronts in Tunisia. American forces were reported last night to be moving rapidly toward Mahares from the west. One message says the Americans have been in action against German tanks about 30 miles from Mahares. The Germans appear to be making strong efforts to prevent another link up of the Allies and one correspondent says they are putting up a tough resistance on two hill positions along the Maknassy-Mahares road. It looks as though they are putting up a strong delaying action there, but the Americans are pressing them hard and are now only 25 mlies from the Eighth Army's spearhead, s The British First Army, under Lieutenant-General Anderson, in the northern sector, is continuing the victorious attack which it launched in Northern Tunisia on Wednesday morning on the salient held by the Germans 40 miles west of Tunis, between Medjez el Bab and Munchar, which is seven miles north-east of Beja. The First Army is capturing large slices of new ground and numerous prisoners. Up to yesterday evening its spearheads had advanced about five miles. In little more than two hours the army had taken three objectives. Describing the operations, a correspondent says the First Army already had launched an offensive in the Medjez el Bab area, some 30 miles from Tunis, in the first light of Wednesday morning. The latest First Army attack along the Beja-Medjez road, which runs due east and west, and the First Army is advancing north of the road and pressing into the enemy salient. By noon on Wednesday, after the heaviest barrage put up in Northern Tunisia, the First Army had taken its first objectives and this attack, like th e one in South Tunisia, is going according to plan. The latest unofficial news of the Eighth Army's advance puts our spearheads at beyond the coastal town of La Skirra, about 25 miles south of Mahares. The Germans appear to be falling back hastily and the British are steadily progressing, according to plan, says the Exchange Telegraph's correspondent. Rommel is in full retreat northward along the coast and along the road from El Guettar toward the coast. His retreating transport has been bombed as far north as between Sfax and Susa. Reuter's correspondent with the American forces in the El Guettar sector says that, following behind the reconnaissance forces which linked up with the Eighth Army, American armoured forces, in a fresh push eastward along the Gabes road, progressed rapidly and by Wednesday night had advanced 20 miles. The Germans are hastily retreating under heavy blows from the air. The Vichy radio announced that the Americans had begun a new push toward Qairwan.