BRITISH COMMANDO RAID

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLXII, Issue 15242, 7 January 1943, Page 3

BRITISH COMMANDO RAID

SORTIE IN TUNISIA STRATEGIC HTLL POSITIONS WON. COUNTER-ATTACKS BEATEN OFF. I United Press Assn —By Electric 1 elegraph —Copyright. LONDON. January 6. British commandos and men of a ramous South-east England regiment, in a swift and fierce dawn attack, threw the Germans from strong positions on the hills a few miles west of Mateur, says Reuter's correspondent with the First Army. Supported by artillery and Hurricane bombers, the British forces adv a need, after an all-night downpour over th© bare mountainsides and occupied the German positions iu tliree nours. Hie Gormans late in the afternoon eouuter-attacked, but thus tlley “ av 'e been unsuccessful. Our success was achieved against the best German troops in I unisia, who had been digging in and consolidating for several weeks. In© coinmandois participating were men who, made the initial lauding at Algiers and consolidated tlie occupation of Ilona. Parachutists also participated. It was the first action in this sector for about a month, when the same troops were beaten ea-ek in a .similar assault. I lie Britishers for the past month 4i ave /, 1 lu a Y alk> y overlooked by Germans. Now th© Britishers aie on the height overlooking tlie Germans in the valley. In tlie south, the Axis forces who attacked the French positions at r odnouck on Sunday, occupied the important road junction of Fodnouck el Okoi, a few miles past Pichon. I heir move was apparently limited to the capture of this point since tlie enemy tank force retired t<? K air wan.

lhe British United Press correspondent at Allied Headquarters says a small detachment of Canadian troops lias arrived in North Africa. 1 lie Dakar radi 0 says that General Giraud has arrived at Dakar, escorted by 25 planes, for consultations with tlie British and American missions on the use of the port for supplies and the war* on U-boats. Ihe \ ichy radio says General N©bring has launched a local offensive in tii© Terburba area of Tunisia.