The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-03-05
Activity Increased Along Mareth Line; Air Patrols
 on Duty INDIES, NEFTA ARE
 TAKEN BY FRENCH Nazis BOmbers Forced to JettisOn Loads When In' tercepted By Allies
BY VIRGIN PINKLEY
United Prcss staff COrrsspOndcnI

United Press Staff COrrsspOndentD
 Allied Headquarters, North Africa, March 5. - (UP) A heavy enemy thrust at Sed Jenane In the northern sector of Tunisia has been checked after severe street fighting in the town, an Allied com munique said today. British Churchill tanks, supported by infantry, threw a force Of about GOO Germans out of Sod Jenano In Q dawn attack yesteFdays front dispatches said. The Axis troops had forced their way into the town on Wednesday and seized control of an important road juEie- ton.
 Sod Jonano is about i2 miles south Of Cape SeTat,
 Activity Increased
 Both sides increased their aotlvs ity along the MaFeth Line in gouth~ orn TunlSla yesterday, and patrols from Lieutenant. General Sir nef@ nard l., MontgomeryS BFItish Eighth Army probod enemy lines In search Of weak spots that cen Do assaulted when tho big push northward starts, 4
 Forward clements of French forces pushed into the town 0g Nofta on the western edge Of Chott DJerld (9ait Lako) and re- connatSsaneo patrols were active farther east.
 { Ships Sunk
 Allied pilots, striking hard at Axis communication lines from elci- ly and the European mainland Of Europe, sank four ships and dAIilr aged others, Bnemy road trangpoFts in southern Tunlsla Was bombed on the night Of March 3.4.
 An Allied fighter Patrol inteEs eepted a formation of JU-8T bomb CTS escorted by MlG.l00S, foFced the bombeFs to Jettison their bombs, and shot down two. Two enemy fighter planes were shot down in tho southern sector and . bomber was destroyed off the Algerian coast. Two Allied planes are inlss- ing from oil operations.
 Text of C0mmunique
 Text Of tho Allied c0mmuniquo:
 "HoaVy fighting continued yoss terday in the town of Sed jenane where C determined enemy attack was successfully held after fierce lighting in the streets of tho town,
 Tn tho central sector, Allied forces continued to consolidate theIF recent gains
 Loading clements of French forces yesterday occupied Nefta on the western border of Chott Dterld tSnlt Lake). RGconnalBsance pa~ trols were also active farther east,
 "On the Eighth Army front, en~ efny activity intensified in all socs tors Of the Mareth position where our patrols were very active.
 "Attacks on enemy transports both on land and at seq were con- tlnued yesterday and during the previous night, Attacks by our pombers on enemy conveys between Sicily and Tunisia resulted in fc0B ships being sunk and others dams aged,
 Enemy road transport in south- ern Tunisia wnS bombed during the night Of March 3-4. Yesterday fight- CT bombers and fighters attacked enemy vehicles in both the southern and northern sector and medium bombers attacked objectives ct Die deida.
 "In the northern sector, c patrol of our fighters intercepted forma- ton of JU-87's, escorted by ME- i00's, shot down two of them.
 "In the southern sectors, vw0 enemy fighters were destroyed and an enemy bomber was shot doWn off the Algerian coast.
 Prom all these operations, eWe of our aircraft are missing"