SWEEPING ON

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22554, 12 April 1943, Page 5

SWEEPING ON

Rommel’s Forces Routed

Many Prisoners Taken By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright (9.50 p.m.) LONDON. Apr. 11. The irresistible Eighth Army is now streaming northward from Sfax in relentless pursuit of Rommel’s routed forces. British progress in recent stages has been exceptionally fast. Tlte Eighth Army, after storming Wadi Akarit, covered 72 miles to Sfax in four days. They advanced 22 miles from Mahares to Sfax ih under 19 hours, which is attributed to the fact that the German retreat was so precipitate that they were unable to carry out the customary laying of a profusion of minefields and also to the flat coastal plain, enabling the British to exploit mechanised mobility. It is expected that Rommel will attempt to hold up the British advance if the ground is favourable southward of Sousse, but dispatches from Allied Headquarters suggest that his ultimate defences will be in the mountainous area running roughly from Enfidaville. 12 miles north of Sousse to the north-west of Pont Du Fahs. Rommel, besides having Lieu-tenant-General Montgomery pounding on his heels, is now facing an increasingly grave menace to his right flank by an Allied break-through in the mountains bordering the coastal plain. Indeed, Rommel's union with von Arnim may become impossible. The capture of Pichon by British Home Counties battalions secured the keypoint to the road to Kairouan and Sousse. A subsequent tank battle north of Fondouk, after the occupation of Pichon, is reported to be proceeding satisfactorily. The Allied battleline in this area is British tanks in the centre, French Infantry on the left and American infantry on the right. French operations further north in the Ousseltia Valley are aiding this movement.

A French communique states: “After consolidation of our position at Ousseltia, our troops in co-operation with the Allies, attacked, advancing over 10 miles north of Pichon and in the mountains of Djebel Selat, which dominate the Kairouan Plain. We captured many prisoners and much war material.” Retreat Admitted

The Berlin radio commentator, Captain Sei*'orius says that largescale Allied forces are carrying on an offensive in the direction of Kairouan with probably the aim of reaching the coast near Sousse. If successful it would cut off the Axis forces. Captain Sertorius claimed that the Germans sealed off several break-throughs on this front, although Allied pressure was stronger with each thrust, especially in the Fondouk area.

Admitting a retreat from Sfax, the commentator said that Rommel withdrew so skilfully that no Germans were encircled, but Italian units were cut off and taken prisoner. Reuter’s correspondent at Allied Headquarters says the Axis air forces are showing no eagerness to fight, probably because of the destruction of their planes in the last three days, which is estimated to exceed 250 in air combat and on the ground. Commentators in London believe that Sfax will be most useful to Lieu-tenant-Montgomery, not only because he robbed Rommel of a supply port, but because It will assist his own supplies. Although the docks accommodate ships of only 1000 tons, Sfax possesses two moderately-sized aerodromes which will be quickly available to the Allies, who are now within 15 miles of La Sauconniere, which is Rommel’s important airbase in Southern Tunisia.

Algiers radio reports that the Axis in the first nine days of April lost 62 supply ships in the Mediterranean.

One of the largest numbers of Flying Fortresses ever employed anywhere heavily bombed and scored direct hits on the Italian cruisers Gorizia and Trieste lying in La Maddelena harbour in Sardinia, states an announcement from Allied Headquarters in Algiers The cruisers were damaged so severely that they are expected to be immobilised for the remainder of the North African campaign. Full results of the attack will not be known until photographs taken during the raid are studied. The Fortresses were under the command of Major-General James Doolittle, who led the raid on Tokio. Morocco radio reports that one Axis vessel was sunk and another damaged in a naval engagement off Bizerta. New Zealanders Praised Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Blarney, Commander of the Allied land forces in the South-west Pacific area, sent the following message to Lieuten-ant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg, V.C.: “Congratulations to yourself and the officers and men of your magnificent Division on your further recent successes, from all ranks of the Australian Army and myself.” Lieutenant-General Freyberg replied: “No message could give greater pleasure to the New Zealand Division than yours. On behalf of all ranks I send our warmest thanks and best wishes to the Australian Army for continued success in their grim campaign in New Guinea.”