The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-03-04

their biggest days in the North African aerial campaign.
 American bomhers attcked half c dozen airdromeS in Tunlsla and hammered railroads and highways in close support Of ground troops.
 Dombers Of tho Royal Air Force struck telling blows against mar. shallng yards and docks at Tunls as well as many other targets In the northern sector and tho region around Mareth.
 Flying fortresses escorted by light. hing fighters dropped thousands of small bombs on the El AoulnN Alrs drome near Tunis, British Spite fires cooperated in this raid by pro. vlding extra top.hgh cover. The airport was covered with hundreds of bursts, especially one corner where 3B to 70 Axis planes were parked.
 Several large fires were started and heavy smoke was Soon rising.
 Another formation of Sortross0S protected by, Lightnlngs bombed the landing ground 22M miles north Weob VA NhbVbi
 one group of Mitchell medium bombcrs, escorted by SpltflreS bombed Mateur, the onemy'S high. way and railroad center southwest of BlZorte. Another group with spltflreS alongside attacked ground targets northeast of Medjeg El Bnb,
 WelllngtonB -- long tho backbone Of the RAF boEnberS--BlnAShed at docks and rnarshAling yards at TNnis on tho northeast coast Of Tunisla from which tho Axis armies in North Africa are supplied,
 Attack Shifted
 Axis fighter planes tried e inter- cept one group of planes and lost three of their number without in. flicting any loss on the British,
 The only really serious fighting of tho day in tho north was confined to tho Deja.MedjeS lCl Bab.sed Janane area, The enemy shifted his attack from Beja to Sod Jonane, Ats tacklng strongly from tho noNth. east. The heaviest fighting centerod around the village railroad station and tho issue was still in doubt Rt dusk.
 The enemy used only his infantry in this attack, Fighting was believed continuing today.
 The Allies captured 2B prisoners in tho Hunts Gap region northeast of Deja,
 rho British First Army made It's main eounterattack north of the road from Beja to Medj0S El BAb, Fighting continued ell day, There was every reason Co believe that the Allies still hold DOja and MedjeS El Bab.
 Three Allied planes wore lost ln yesterdays operations.
 The Allies woro holding oil for. ward points in tho north, and turn. ing back oil enemy thruStS quickly and sharply.
 It was generally felt that Axis at. tackS against Allied positions now had little purpose except to keep tho Allies on the defensive, ProBuEns ably, tho Germans and italians op. erated on tho theory that as long as the Allies were on the defensive, they couldn't assume tho offensive.
 No opp0sition-exeept from mines was reported oil tho central front.
 Apparently Marshal Erwin Rom. mel, commanding the Afrika KorpS, had retired to the Fair Pass area along the coast, although there was no word yet whether he had also abandoned 0afSR, 50 miles south Of Kagserine.
 dafsa was tho southernmoSt point in American lines in TNnisia be- fore Rommel struck out suddenly three weeks ago and forced them to abandon 4,000 square miles in cen- Cral Tunisia.
 Now the Americans, having in. tlicted heavy damage and casualties on Rommel, seemed to he out to take dafsa back and push up to Faid Pass, 8 miles southeast of Sbeitla. If they do, they will be back in their original positions when the Allied grand offensive opens.
 Mines were 8 great problem. The withdrawing Germans had left thousands of all shapes and siAss, and in some areas, engineers were on their hands and knees, sweep- ing the fields like woman Tnop- ping Q floor, to find them.
 (T1he French reported that "the activities of our Camel Corps have reached Nefta." Nefta is behind the MaTetli Hre lal the northerfl biIOa% of Salt Lake Chot Djerid, ana the I:rminus of the railway from Gafsa. The wording of the communique in- dicated raid on Nefta, rather than occupation.
 Enemy Frustrated
 (The communique said French battalions in the Medjez-El-Bab re- zion of the north front had frus. trated numerous enemy attempts to infiltrate their lines.)
 Text of today's communique:
 "In northern Ttlnisia, fighting continued in the area of Sed Jen- ane, where the enemy gained some ground at the expense of very heavy casualties. Attacks in other areas were all successfully repulsed.
 "Ersmy infantry advancing east in the Mareth area was successful ly engaged and repulsed by our armored forces. The enemy has re- inforced its infantry with tanks in his area.
 "0n the night of March 2-3, tar- gets at Tunis and objectives ncar Mareth were bombed. Yesterday our bombers attacked the air field at runis and made raids on enemy landing grounds in the dabes area. Hits were seen on all the targets attacked. particularly among air. craft on the ground.
 "Tn the north sector, our med. lum bombers attacked enemy ground targets. our fighters were active throughout the day in this area and destroyed q number of enemy vehicles.
 "In the southern sector. fighters and fighter bolnbers were active ate tacking roads. transports and other targets. Three enemy aircraft were