PAUSE IN AFRICA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 62, 16 March 1943, Page 5

PAUSE IN AFRICA

AXIS SUPPLY TROUBLES STUKAS BEING USED AS CARRIERS

Recd. 6 p.m. Rugby, March 14. A pause in ground operations in ' North Africa, described here as "a pause in preparation for the future," is evident from the Allied communique, which states: “In the past 24 hours there has been a slight increase in the enemy’s artillery activity in the northern sector against the Eighth Army. In the south, the normal patrol activity continues.

The southern Algerian French forces continue to organise their re-cently-gained position. First Army: In the southern and central sectors normal patrol activity continues. In the north a local enemy attack was repulsed. The enemy is obviously having difficulty in supplying his troops in the northern Tamera-Sed Jenane sector, where the most recent fighting in Tunisia has occurred, says a correspondent with the First Army. He had to make use of stukas last night to supply his troops in forward area positions among the hills on the south side of the road.

The stukas dropped ammunition and food by parachute. Some canisters were dropped in a minefield laid by our troops so the enemy was unable to collect them.

The latest reports also indicate that enemy tanks have moved back to repair shops near Tunis. —8.0.W.

MINOR OPERATIONS

Recd. 1 a.m. London, March 15. The Algiers correspondent of the Daily Mail states that British troops yesterday attacked enemy positions on a huge ridge south of Tamera, overlooking our positions and commanding the road to Sed Jenane. The initial attack partly succeeded but we finally withdrew to our original positions.

MARETH POSITIONS

RAIDED BY BOMBERS Rugby, March 14. A North African communique says that bad weather restricted air operations yesterday. Sweeps and patrols were flown by our fighters in the northern and central sectors, in the course of which enemy armoured vehicles were attacked. Bombers of the Western Desert Air Force again attacked objectives in the Mareth positions. Fighters carried out patrol sweeps during which four enemy fighters were destroyed. From all operations ten of our aircraft are missing. News agency messages describe enemy air activity over the batire area as on an increased scale. R.A.F. light bombers over the enemy positions did not, however, meet with opposition.—B.O.W.

R.A.F.’S WORK AGAINST ROMMEL

Rugby, March 14. Over 30,000 operational sorties have been made by the R.A.F. in support of British and Indian troops during the Middle East offensive, according to official figures released from Delhi. At the end of 1942 over 500 aircraft and over 100 enemy tanks and armoured cars and some 5000 transport vehicles lay in junk piles between El Alamein and the borders of Tripolitania.—B.O.W.

WORK OF EIGHTH ARMY

SCOUTING ON A LARGE SCALE Recd. 6 p.m. London, March 14. The Eighth Army at the weekend carried out a large-scale reconnaissance of the Mareth Line, reports Reuter’s Algiers correspondent. Fighters and bombers in the past few days have replaced artillery for softening of the Mareth Line positions. Pill-boxes have suffered direct hits and a number of anti-aircraft batteries have been silenced.

The New York Times correspondent, Drew Middleton, believes that Rommel, who is full of fight, will make a fourth desperate attempt to stave off his inevitable defeat and probably on a larger scale than the others. Mr. Middleton sees the likelihood that Rommel will take another crack at the Eighth Army, hoping to throw it into confusion and cripple its offensive. However, indications are that he will suffer such losses that General Montgomery will be able to hurl his own armoured divisions against the enemy, marking the last phase of the Tunisian operations. Mr. Middleton thinks the Germans will be driven from Africa by the end of June as the prelude to an attack on southern Europe. Reuter's correspondent at Algiers says that the limited British push against von Arnim’s troops in the Sed Jenane area is progressing satisfactorily. The First Army’s objective is to dislodge the enemy from the high ground in the vicinity of Tamera. A small-scale German attack further south against the Allied positions thre miles north of Bou Arada was thrown back.

Algiers radio said the Germans lost 3500 killed and wounded in the at* tacks west of Sed Jenane. The radio also reported that French troops, after fierce hand-to-hand fighting, captured 11 parachutists attacking a train near Oran.

“TANK BUSTERS”

SPECIAL HURRICANES WITH HEAVYCALIBRE GUNS Recd. 6 p.m. Rugby, March 14. Special Hurricanes, fitted with heavy calibre guns, primarily de- . signed for attacking armoured vehicles, have been in operation in the Western Desert campaigns since June, 1942. The Air Minister, Sir Archibald Sinclair, in the House of Commons, referred to them as “tank busters." The latest success of these aircraft was on JVkirch 10 when at least 20 enemy venicles, a number of guns and about 20 armoured cars were destroyed out of a number attacking Fighting French forces near Kharrhilane. The aircraft made their first appearance on any battlefield in June last and in their first engagement destroyed or immobilised many large vehicles. Although the weapon is a valuable contribution to our air-striking force, it is not regarded as a weapon normally used for opposing or countering enemy armoured forces. Tfie German .equivalent, several of which have been captured in the recent advance, is considerably inferior in armament and performance and has so far not scored any success, against our armoured forces. The special Hurricanes went into action again on the opening day of the El Alamein campaign and secured hits on 19 tanks. In seyeral days

they destroyed a great number of vehicles, and confirmation of their success is forthcoming in the sweeping advance made by the Eighth Army through Daba and Fuka. Now through the experimental stage, the tank busters have been in action again.—B.O.W.