Evening star., 1943-03-30
BY DON WHITEHEAD,
Associated Press War Correspondent.

Associated Press War Correspondent.
WITH THE BRITISH 9th ARMY
WEST OF GABES, March % De-
layed In his biggest gamble OF
the entire African campaign Gen
Sir Bernard L. Montgomery has
outfoxed the Fox of the Desert
by one of the boldest and most
daring maneuvers accomplished by
the 9th Army in its campaign to
drive Marshal Erwin Rommel out
of North Africa.
Strong elements of British troops
outflanked the Mareth line through
wild, sandy, dust-blown fringe of
7 the Sahara Desert over country
which seemed impossible for an
army to cross.
I know because I have just come
across this waterless wasteland
which Rommel apparently thought
could never be crossed by armor
Never in the almost 1000 mile ad-
vance from Ell Alamein have I seen
country which Furnishes men and
machines more than this land.
But the 9th Army accomplished
the final phases of the move in a
spectacular dash at almost unbe-
lievable speed.
1t wasn't a case of playing safe
and taking no chances-not this
move. 1t was the greatest gamble
Gen. Montgomery had taken-a cool.
calculated gamble which forced
Rommel to divide his army into
two parts in Southern Tunisia.
ArmOr Moves Swiftly.
Three weeks ago force went
around the Matmata Hills and then
toward Gabes, pioneering the waste
land.
When the Germans repulsed the
break-thEough in the Mareth Line
March %, Gen. Montgomery made a
quick decision.
Part OF the armor and infantry
was ordered to move swiftly from
their Mareth positions. The move
began at night on March % so en-
emy observers in the Matmata Hills
could not see the columns of trans
ports, tanks and guns swarming
south toward Foum Tatahouine and
around the flank of the mountains
forming part of the Mareth Line.
And on March 26 when the armor
arrived here, the battle plan was
already made, and the tanks were
sent in to attack the Germans and
Italians holding Melab Gap, 20 miles
south of Ell HANNA and 80 miles
from the sea.
After crossing some 200 miles of
the desert along the trail of the
ancient camel caravans, the armor
vent into the attack Within 48
hours it had taken at least 5000
prisoners.
The sudden move threatened to
cut Rommels army in half and iso-
late the enemy holding the Mareth
Line from those around Gabes.
Jolted for Three Days.
With two British and one Aus
tralian correspondent 1 arrived at
this front amazed that an army
could travel SO swiftly across the
desert.
The trip took us three hard, jolt
ing days Of rough riding, which end
ed with our battered car being towed
into advance headquarters and the
four of us wondering if we we're
going to have to follow the rest of
this campaign at the end of a tow
rope.
We left Medenine three days ago
and drove south through Foum Ia
tahouine, a picturesque little Arab
French village hugging' the hills
The village was like something out
Of biblical scene, with caravans OF
camels plodding down the roads,
heavily-laden asses trotting in pro-
cessions and robed Arabs coming
out of the hills to market.
At night the British armor moved
during curfew enforced in the
village SO inquisitive eyes could not
watch the columns.
South of Medenine we turned into
the desert along the route once
taken by camel caravans. On either
side rose curiously shaped barren
hills, some looking like inverted
wash basins. others like a giant
table top hewn by hand.
Water Rationed Strictly.
And then the thamseen began tc
blow-steady, monotonous, nerve
rasping winds which fog the all
with sand and fill your eyes, nos
trils, ears and hair with fine pow
dered dust.
We knew water would be one OF
the most difficult problems, so water
was rationed strictly with three
mugs Of tea each daily, and half a
mug for shaving and washing.
With half a mug you could at least
get the worst of the sand from your
face and get an illusion of cleanI-
ness If you did not look In a mirror
We camped In a gulch the first
night with the wind still blowing
In the morning fine sand had sifted
over the beds and our faces and the
khamseen had not slackened, Sand
gritted In your teeth with every bite
OF food and rasped the eyeballs each
time you blinked your eyes,
And again We set out In the brown