ON MOVE AGAIN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 38, 16 February 1943, Page 5

ON MOVE AGAIN

EIGHTH ARMY ROLLING WESTWARD AXIS AIR LOSSES OVER MEDITERRANEAN (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright)’ (Recd. 6 p.m.) London, Feb. 14. The Eighth Army is on the move again westwards and deeper into Tunisia. A correspondent say« that our men did not make a great advance yesterday and there wag not any heavy fighting, but after the lull of the last few days it was good to see the Eighth Army on the march again, it was in the coastal sector that the advance took place. Further south patrols are keeping in touch with the enemy rearguards. The enemy is doing all he can to hold up the advance by demolition and mines, as well as by using as many Messerschmitts as he can. These fighter-bombers range over the forward areas of groups, sometimes as many as six strong, and pounce from telegraph-pole height. There is nothing to report from the First Army battleiront in Tunisia. Correspondents say the Germans are conscripting Arabs for front-line lighting. Some have been taken prisoners and were wearing German uniforms.

Allied aircraft in the Mediterranean war zone have been out again after the recent spell of bad weather. There was one very lively moment yesterday. when a mixed force of seven American Mitchell bombers and Lightning fighters was cruising over Sicily on anti-shipping patrol. Instead ot ships they found a big convoy of German heavy transport aircraft, about 50 of them, flying back to Italy. The Americans had a high time as long as their ammunition lasted, and at least six of the big German transports were sent crashing into the sea.

Another six Axis bombers and fighters were bagged over Tunisia yesterday during operations which took some of our pilots on train-and-tank-busting attacks and others on bombing raids over Tunis and Bizerta. In all these operations the Allies lost two aircraft. American Middle East Liberator bombers were out yesterday. Some of them gave Naples another dose of heavy bombs and others flew to southern Italy. Mosquito bombers from Malta were over Sicily on Friday night and they strafed trains and locomotives. Fighter bombers from Malta carried on the good work in daylight yesterday, and their targets included a chemical factory and some military barracks.

Ahead of the Eighth Army battlefront more of our lighter bombers attacked transport dispersed along the roadway to Medenine. One Allied aircraft is missing from all this activity. The good work being done by night fighters in the Mediterranean can be judged by the fact that one squadron, his accounted for the record total of 120 Axis aircraft, in just over a year. This squadron was founded by the late Wing - Commander Stainforth, of Schneider Trophy fame.