THE MARETH LINE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25176, 17 March 1943, Page 3

THE MARETH LINE

ALLIED PINCERS CLOSING FRENCH PLANES ACTIVE LONDON, Mar. 15. The Allied pincers is tightening around Marshal Rommel’s forces on the Mareth Line, says the Algiers radio. The enemy on the northern front is suffering losses every day. French planes attacked enemy troop concentrations north of Shott el Jerid. The radio also reported that 1 the British forces in Northern Tunisia yesterday afternoon repulsed more local Axis thrusts north of Bou Arada. A North African communique states: Patrol activity continued over the whole front. The weather again severely restricted air operations in Tunisia. Regular shipping sweeps were turned back on account of the weather. Objectives in the Mareth position were attacked by bombers of the Western Desert air force, and fighter sweeps were carried out in this area. A formation of enemy torpedo bombers was intercepted off the Algerian coast by our fighters. One torpedo bomber was destroyed and most of the others damaged. Two enemy bombers were destroyed on Saturday night. None of our aircraft is missing. A total of four enemy aircraft was destroyed and at least six were probably destroyed or damaged by American fighters over the battle area southeast of Gabes on Saturday, according to a Cairo message. Warhawks, after flying through heavy A.A. fire, encountered enemy fighters, which were sent down in flames under the Warhawks’ machine guns. Three American fighters are missing.

Evidently fearing an assault in open, broken country, Rommel is massing his panzer forces west of Mareth in the region between the salt lakes and ( the sea, reports the Algiers correspondent of the Daily Express. Hundreds of guns are being spaced around the hills of the Mareth positions. Both sides are filling in pockets of land between the two armies. Shott-el-Jerid is still impassable, but thfe outer rim of hard salt is widening every day. Much of this German concentration in the south goes on at night, when a stream of big Junkers planes comes from Sicily. Allied planes harass enemy roads and Axis tanks are normally found hiding under trees waiting for nightfall.