WITHERING FIRE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25208, 24 April 1943, Page 5

WITHERING FIRE

ENEMY FORCES WILT COUNTER-ATTACKS FAIL (Rec. 9 p.m.) LONDON, Apl. 22. The Eighth Army, according to press reports, from North Africa, has so far fought its way for about three miles into the mountain fastnesses along the 12-mile front between the sea and Jebel Garci, west-north-west of Enfidaville. The enemy stubbornly contested the ground and made repeated efforts to regain it. Although the last two attempts were described as major counter-attacks, they both wilted under General Montgomery’s famous massed artillery fire, which did great execution in the centre. The main action, however, seems to have shifted for a time to the western side of the front, the heaviest fighting taking place between Mejez-el-Bab and a point nine miles south. First Army’s Fight The battle began on Tuesday, when the British attacked a ridge on the road from Mejez-el-Bab to Tunis while the enemy was regrouping. About midnight the Germans made a big infantry attack in.moonlight, evidently with the intention of pushing to the west and gaining the heights on the road’from Mejez-el-Bab tQ Goubellat, eight miles. south-south-east of Mejez-el-Bab. The Germans were fresh and fought very fiercely, but they did not succeed at any time in getting through the British positions. After a few hours they had to disengage, but found it difficulty because of accurate British ■rtillery fire. A The Germans involved were detachments from the Ist, 2nd, and 3rd Haeger Guards, the Ist Battalion of Herman Goering Panzer Grenadiers, and a tank battalian which included many Mark VI Tigers. By evening they had abandoned every foothold gained. The First Army fought and held firm against probably the best German troops in Tunisia. At one time the enemy tried to send fighters to bomb the Allied troops east of Mejez-el-Bab, but the attempt soon ended when American-manned Spitfires swooped down. The Messerschmitts jettisoned their bombs and made for safety, but four were shot down.

Once more enemy airfields and landing grounds all oyer the Tunisian tip were attacked, and three explosions were caused on the railway station in Tunis.

A North African communique states: "On the First Army front on Tuesday night the enemy attacked our position* in the Mejez-el-Bab sector. Tltfre was heavy fighting in moonlight with enemy tanks and infantry, but at the first light the enemy were withdrawing, having suffered considerable casualties. The enemy employed between 60 and 80 tanks in this action and at least five battalions of German infantry. We destroyed 25 German tanks, including two Mark Vi’s, and captured about 500 prisoners. Heavy Losses Inflicted

“On the Eighth Army from two enemy counter-attacks against our new positions were repulsed by mass artillery fire, with very heavy loss to the enemy. The positions were generally improved, and all the gains were firmly held. '

“A small section of our light coastal forces on patrol near Bizerta on Monday night met and engaged a number of E-boats. An explosion was seen on one of the enemy craft, which was on fire. She retired under cover of the smoke. Our light forces, which were also unsuccessfully attacked by enemy ‘night fighters, returned to their base with no casualties. “ On Tuesday night light naval forces •ank a small enemy supply ship northwest of Sicily. On the same night light bombers < attacked enemy transports and lines of communication. “Yesterday light bomber? and fighter-bombers, escorted by Spitfires, attacked enemy airfields, and fighters continued their offensive sweeps and patrols over forward areas. Ten enemy aircraft were shot down during the day, and at night four enemy aircraft were destroyed. Four of our machines are missing.”