Concentrated Attacks

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22489, 26 January 1943, Page 3

Concentrated Attacks

Scrambling Axis Forces

Eighth Army Moving Toward Tunisia

By Telegraph—New Zealand Press Association—Copyright (Received 1 a.m.) LONDON, January 25. VESTERDAY the Eighth Army continued its advance * to the west toward Tunisia. Fighter-bombers attacked enemy shipping trying to escape from Zuara, and heavy bombers pounded the Ben Gardane landing ground in Tunisia.

The Russian newspaper, “Pravda,” in a tribute to the British victory in Tripolitania, says it opens favourable prospects for further action in the Middle East.

Planes from the First Army’s aerodromes in Tunisia linked up with the Eighth Army’s fighters and bombers in concentrated attacks on the scrambling Axis columns.

Since Saturday, General Montgomery’s Army has practically destroyed the Afrika Korps, says the Cairo correspondent of “The Times.” It has inflicted 80,000 casualties on the enemy and destroyed or captured 1000 transport vehicles. The Afrika Korps would not have reached Libya at all if the deluge of rain in early November had not slowed up our advance.

High praise for the men who capurecl Tripoli is given by the London press. All eyes are now turned on Tunisia, where, it is hoped, the victorious Eighth Army’s weight will soon be felt. 1 Commentators observe that the defenders of the African bridgehead, it they succeed in joining forces with Rommel, will suffer a disastrous lack of the air support necessary to protect essential sea communications. As the Royal Air Force Middle East Command moves into the aerodromes of Tripoli, the enemy, penned in the coastal strip, will feel this lack wWe and more. Meanwhile, it is assumed that Lieu-tenant-General Elsenhower, while the British and French screen his front, is organising the Americans as a striking force which, when the aerodromes are ready to receive the full Allied air strength, will synchronise Its offensive with that of General Montgomery. The preparations are expected to take a little time yet. but with a view to the earliest possible opening of a European campaign hopes are expressed that the enemy will be driven out of Africa by the spring. Italians Sent Ahead > The latest operations in and around Tripoli were described by a wireless :ommentator who said there was no doubt that Rommel had withdrawn the bulk of his troops out of Tripolitania. According to correspondents it the front he had sent most of the Italians back first this time, though elements of many Italian units were taking part in the fighting. It had also been thought worth while to throw in some precious remaining armour to hold back the Eighth Army while the evacuation went on, but the streams of transports from Tlpolitania into Tunisia had already had about the most merciless pounding in the whole history of the war. and it looked from the map as If Rommel would And it difficult to make any sort of stand until the Germans reached the Mareth line in Tunisia. The commentator also said there were a few armoured tussles with the enemy rearguard yesterday, but they looked much like a chase. In Tripoli itself, the people were quiet and troops entering the city found things much as reported by aerial reconnaissance. The damage in the town was comparatively light, but there was considerable devastation around the harbour area. Implacable Pursuit Air attacks as far west as Medenin and the gradual thinning out of road targets indicate that a considerable number of Axis troops have reached the fortified Mareth line, says Reuter’s correspondent at Cairo. The Eighth

Army is reported to be approaching Zuara, the terminus of the railway west of Tripoli, and it is believed that the Eighth Army’s implacable pursuit, in conjunction with the pounding of Zuara by the Royal Air Force and the Navy, may have resulted in Rommel having to leave behind in Tripolitania a proportion of his heavy equipment. According to the Morocco radio, part of Rommel’s mechanised forces is in confusion on the east coast road at a point 60 miles west of Tripoli. Light bombers on Friday night attacked the most easterly enemy landing grounds and started fires. Targets in Sicily were also attacked. Fighterbombers continued their assault against targets in Sicily on Saturday and small shipping in Tunisia was bombed and machine-gunned. One aircraft is missing. United States fighter and fighterbombers of the Ninth United States Air Force, operating from bases at Tripoli and vicinity continued to strike the enemy withdrawing to the west. Numerous direct hits on moving transports were observed. Vehicles were set on fire by ground strafing. Restoring Tripoli Harbour Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Harwood told the press that the Navy was busy clearing enemy ships sunk at the entrance to Tripoli harbour. This did not imply that stores were not being brought in by sea. Sir Charles Harwood disclosed that as Tripoli fell into our hands British submarines in the Mediterranean sank the millionth ton of Axis shipping. This did not include tonnage destroyed by air and surface craft. “They can jump in the sea for all we care," said Italian prisoners to whom the correspondent of the Associated British Press talked outside Tripoli. They cursed the Germans folleaving them without transport and stated they were glad they were prisoners. The Germans ate all the good food and left them only hard bread.

Guoliel Motti, an Italian national councillor, broadcasting from Rome, stated that Tripolitania was for us the symbol of a new life and a centre of hope and pride. Its loss pained all Italian hearts.

“Now that it is full speed ahead in the battle of Tunisia, the Navy is already busy dynamiting wrecks blocking the entrance to Tripoli harbour." said Sir Charles Harwood. “We are at present employing the supply system used at Bardia, Tobruk and Benghazi before salvage crews cleared the ports. The temporary system is that advanced beach survey parties choose appropriate points and then mobile beach parties occupy them to unload supplies as soon as landing craft shove their noses in to the beach.”