The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-04-07
Americans Batter Foes Flank in Stiff Fight in
 Central Sector SEVEN CONVOY SHIPS, 3l GERMAN PLANES HIT Churchill Believes Attack May Bring British-U. s.
 Armies Together
BY VIRGIL PINKLEY

United Press Staff COrrespOndent)
 Allied Headquarters, North Africa, April 2. = (UP) = The British Eighth Army in a savage night attack has crushed strong Axis positions along the Wadi Akarit on the south Tunisian front and Americans again are ham, mering the enemy flank in stiff fighting on two sectors of the central front.
 The sudden forward thrust by the Eighth Army under General sir Bernard L. Montgomery established a wide bridgehead in the Axis lines by seizing the key hills of DjeheI Tebaga and Dpehel Fl Roumana. which are about two miles apart at the upper end of the water filled Wadi Akarit, some 20 miles north of Gabes. This made the formidable Wadi Akarit itself un- tenable.
 At the same time, the Americans under Lieutenant General George s. Patton, Jr., edged forward again in the Maknassy sector and east Of Fl Guettar, capturing half of the strategic Djebel Chemsi mountain and renewing a hard battle for the key hills south of the Kebili toad junction.
 Allied air forces again hammered the enemy mercilessly in front and rear areas, sinking seven ships from one convoy en rou;e to Tunisia, hit- ting many others and shooting down 31 Axis planes.
 (In London, Prime Minister Win- Ston Churchill told commons that the Eighth Army broke through the German defenses into open country and was hotly pursuing the Axis troops, retreating northward. Mors than 5000 prisoners have been :ap- tured so far he said.
 Latest Data
 Churchill, whose information ob- viously covered Q later period than that of the North African communi~ que, said that the Eighth Army's successful frontal attack should en- able the British to join the United States forces which are unceasil1g- ly pressing the eremy from the weSt)
 CThe British advance. Churchill said, was preceded and covered by a barrage of about 500 guns on prac- tically the same scale as that which enabled the Eighth Army to break through the original German de- lenses at Fl Alamien, Egypt, nearly l,500 miles to the east)
 The Eighth Army launched its of. fensive against German Marshal Erwin Rommel's defenses along tho northern rim of the water-filled Wadi Akarit, 20 miles north oz Gabes, at 4:30 a. m. Tuesday after a heavy artillery barrage.
 A special communique last night reported that the Army had cap- tured its first objectiveS and tta regular Upefati0nal cOininahqdb early this afternoon disclosed that a wide wedge" had been driven into the enemy lines.
 The Germans put up hurrt' cane counter -barrage and threw inc fantry and tanks in ceaseless waves against the British wedge, but the Eighth Army held firm and repulsS ed the enemy.
 Five thousand Axis prisoners were captured in the initial fighting.
 If the British succeed in dislodg- ing Rommel from his Akarit posis tions, the German commander will find no other natural defense line in his northward retreat until 1le reaches the mountains above Souese, more than l30 miles north of Gahes.
 CThe German high command axas
 (Continued on Page 4)