Evening star., 1943-04-03
Allied Patrols
Active Along
EntireFront
9th Army Messing
For Fresh Push
Against Rommel
BULLETIN.

BULLETIN.
LONDON (P.-A French
communique. recorded by the
Associated Press from an AL
giers broadcast, today said
"our forces have left Sed-
jenane far behind" in the
northern sector of Tunisia and
that operations were going
ahead successfully in the CEN
tral sector. An armored at
tack was repulsed north Of
the Chott Djerid, the commu-
nique said.
One American patrol at
tacking in the Ell Guetar area
was reported to have captured
Al prisoners and destroyed a
German Mark w tank and an
anti-aircraft gun.
Ry the Associated Press
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
NORTH AFRICA, April 3.-The
British 1st Army of 1t. Gen. K.
A. N. Anderson made further
progress in Northern Tunisia, in
flicting casualties on the enemy,
and there was patrol activity all
along the front, an Allied head
quarters communique announced
today.
Without mentioning specific loca-
tions in the Allied advance beyond
Sedjenane, 40 miles southwest Of
Bizerte, the Allied communique said
British patrols successfully engaged
the forces of Col. Gen. Jurgen Won
Arnim and inflicted casualties.
In the air Americans and British
continued assorted attacks on enemy
troops and transport on the road
north of Gabes where Marshal Err
win Rommel is being pressed back,
and carried out continuous offen-
sive sweeps despite bad weather.
La Fauconnerie Air Field IS miles
northwest of Sfax was bombed twice
and a carpet of fires left across the
target, the communique said.
Six Axis Fighters Shot Down.
Six German and italian fighters
were shot down yesterday, while four
Allied aircraft failed to return.
(The Algiers radio said French
and Americans were continuing
to make advances eastward in
Central Tunisia.
(The radio in German -occu-
pied Vichy said large troop con-
voys were entering Gibraltar
Harbor as the Allies strength
ened their Mediterranean front.
but claimed several damaged
ships also had taken shelter in
the bay.
(The German radio, in an un-
supported claim, said German
submarines making use Of new
types of weapons had destroyed
an Allied submarine in the
Mediterranean and probably de-
stroyed another.
(The Italian communicate
broadcast by the Rome radio said
Axis troops bettered their posi-
tions lin some parts of the front"
in successful local attacks and
that some prisoners were taken.
(The communique claimed that
two more Allied planes were
brought down by aircraft
fire and that German torpedo :
planes struck two merchant ships
in Western Mediterranean con-
voy.
Can Allied air attack on Naples
was foiled by Axis fighter planes,
the communique said)
Eighth Army Masses for Push.
Meanwhile, Gen. B. L. Montgomery,
concentrated his British 9Th Army
north of Gabes for fresh push
against the retreating RommeL
forces in a drive to effect a junction
with 1t. Gen. George S. Patton, jr's.
American forces moving eastward
from the Allied springboard at
Gafsa.
A gap of about As miles separated
Gen. Montgomery from the Amer
leans headed toward positions above
Gabes and in the rear of the last
reported location of RommelS
troops.
"a Berlin broadcast. uncon-
flrmed elsewhere, said Ronlmel's
present position was Is miles
north of Gabes, and represented
the achievement of final union
between Rommel's forces and
those of Won Arnim'D
While Rommel had no natural de-
fense line available to hold the on
pressing British and American forces
in check. his mine fields and skill
fully emplaced machine guns and