GERMANS PUSHED BACK WEST OF TUNIS

Southland Times, Issue 25024, 9 April 1943, Page 5

GERMANS PUSHED BACK WEST OF TUNIS

MONTGOMERY CONTINUES PURSUIT OF ROMMEL / (United Press Association—Telegraph Copyright) (Rec. 1.20 a.m.)’ LONDON, April 8. Lieutenant-General K. A. N. Anderson’s Ist z Army has taken the offensive strongly in Northern Tunisia and has met with success. This is reported in the North African communique, which also stated that the Bth Army is continuing its relentless pursuit of Field-Marshal Rommel’s fleeing army. The communique states that after the heaviest artillery barrage yet seen in northern Tunisia the Ist Army attacked the German-held salient 40 miles west of Tunis. The attack succeeded and the British took prisoners and a gained ground. The Bth Army, pursuing the enemy, took more prisoners and collected much abandoned war material. A correspondent, describing the linking up of the Sth Army and the American 2nd Corps in the El Guettar sector, said one part of General Sir Bernard Montgomery’s army went on after Field-Marshal Rommel’s forces while another pushed towards Gafsa to meet the Americans. This junction of forces gives the Bth Army a new supply line and completes the “box” in which General Sir Harold Alexander, the Allied commander in Tunisia has been trying to enclose Field-Marshal Rommel and General von Arnim. The “box” is 200 miles long and about 50 miles wide. In the south it is enclosed by the Bth Army, on the west by rough country, the routes through which are guarded by Allied troops, and on the west and north by the sea, on which the Royal Navy is ever watchful. The whole of the “box” is covered by the Allied Air Forces with their terrific striking power. Intense air activity is also reported by the communique. Fighters, fighter-bombers and light bombers attacked enemy troops and transport, destroying and setting fire to many vehicles. Heavy bombers attacked targets at Messina and Naples and Liberators followed this up by bombing Palermo, in Sicily. The Allies lost only one plane yesterday.