SITUATION IN TUNISIA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 41, 19 February 1943, Page 5

SITUATION IN TUNISIA

FIERCE THRUST AT AMERICANS ADVANCE BY EIGHTH ARMY (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Reed. 7.30 p.m.) London, Feb. 17. The situation in Tunisia appears to have deteriorated somewhat, but is offset by the Eighth Army’s seizure of Ben Bardane and its continued advance toward Mendenine, which advance units have reached. Correspondents report that fierce tank battles are raging on the outskirts of Sbeitl'a, to which the weight of the onslaughts by Rommel’s veteran panzers pushed back the Americans. Reuter’s correspondent in Algiers says that the Americans at Sbeitla to-day are meeting 1 a renewed thrust from German armoured forces, while further south of Gafsa, Afrika Keeps panzers are striking- for Feriana. Both thrusts represent big advances. The German movement is clearly being made with the object of clearing a coastal passage for the Afrika Korps. The British United Press correspondent says it is believed that the Americans will be forced to withdraw from Feriana to the high hills to the northward unless the powerful German drive is halted.

The Associated Press correspondent says that with the American tenure of Sbeitla extremely uncertain, the Germans in the last three days have been using a number of huge Mark VI. tanks and tanks salvaged fiom Libya. They have pushed the Axis front 35 miles westward from Faid Pass. The Americans, resisting with General Grant and General Sherman units, received a great part of their battering From divebombers. Despite the threat to their position through the German push towards, Feriana, the Americans on the southwest of Gafsa are believed to be holding on to Tozeur.

The Axis advances have isolated a number of American contingents in the Sidi Bousid area. No reports have been received from those forces, but strong hopes are held that they will oe able to rejoin the main forces. Reuter’s Tunisia correspondent says it is now known that the American counter-attack yesterday in the SidiBousid area lasted for several hours, with the battle swaying uncertainly. The German occupation of Gafsa was a direct result of the reverse inflicted on the Americans on Monday when a combat command from Sibeitla was compelled to withdraw. The 12th. United States Air Force replied to German dive-bombing by putting out of action 11 tanks.

Berlin radio’s military spokesman said: “The Tunisia operations cannot jet be regarded as a prelude to decisive baties. The Allies and the Axis at present are assembling forces in local operations in the Gafsa area. A French North Africa communique says: “Our troops in southern Tunisia, following the situation at Galfsa, have taken up new positions at Feriana without interference. There is nothing to report from the central front.

A spokesman at Allied headquarters in London declared that the German report of the number of American casualties in the action near Gafsa was grossly exaggerated.

Berlin radio said: “Rommel's rearguards on the night of February 15 withdrew to the Mareth Line according to plan, unhampered by the British. It was not until February 16 that the Eighth Army’s advance forces followed the Axis movements, because they had to overcome thickly sown mines and other obstacles.” The radio added: “We observed that British divisions, which so far have been distributed in great depth, are now closing up nearer the front.”

The British United Press Cairo correspondent says the Axis are only intermittently opposing General Montgomery's advance into the Mareth Line outer defences. The rain has ceased, making the advance easier.

In central Tunisia, on the other side of the Mareth Line, the German thrust has pushed the Americans back some 30 miles along a front about 50 miles broad. To-day’s communique from General Eisenhower speaks of fighting last night after a day of heavy engagement, and indicates that the enemy advanced about 15 miles yesterday in this sector after the Americans, who at first gained some ground, fell back in the face of heavier armour and waves of divebombers. Before severe losses forced them to withdraw, the Americans had won back one-third of the territory the Germans took in their first drive on Sunday. Further south, the second enemy drive which isolated Gafsa is now moving up towards a place called Feri, and the American forces are falling back on this town. It is announced that Allied air forces have evacuated three of their forward aerodromes in central Tunisia. All the squadrons have been moved to prepared fields further back, and from these they will operate, in the words of the official announcement, “at maximum strength.” Apart from activity over the Tunisian battlefront, the main air news is an attack by Malta's torpedo-bombers on an Axis convoy in the Sicilian Narrows. The aircraft went in one by one very low in the face of heavy gunfire. The barrage was so intense that the pilots could not see howmany ships were hit, but they sawone tanker blow up and burst into flames.

Other aircraft attacked targets in Sicily and southern Italy.

Allied headquarters in North Africa states: “The opposing enemy forces were engaged throughout the day on the southern Tunisian front. At the end of the dav lighting was still in progress on the outskirts of Sbeitla. On Monday and Tuesday night roads behind the enemy lines were bombed, while light bombers attacked enemy gun positions and vehicles. Figh.ors made many attacks on enemy ground targets. One of our aircraft is missing.” A Middle East joint communique Rays: “Yesterday our troops in the north sector continued their progress westwards towards Medene and pat rot operations were continued in other sectors. Targets west of Ben Gardane were attacked by our fighter-bombers yesterday, although air activity was not on a large scale. “On the night of February 15-16 an

enemy tanker was attacked in the Sicilian Narrows bv our torpedo aircraft and left blazing for stem to stern. The same night sweessful lowflying attacks were carried out on rail targets in southern Italy and Sicilv. Two enemy aircraft were shot down over Sicily. One of our planes is missing.”