The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-04-29
Fierce Fighting Around
Diebel BOu AOukaz,
Near Tunis
ALLIES PROGRESS SLOW
NEAR NLATEUR SECTOR
Weather UnfavOrable tO
Airmen; Naples Docks
Shelled Again
BY VIRGIL PTNKLEY
united Press Staff Correspondent

united Press STAFF Correspondent
Allied Headquarters, Nortl,
Africa, April 20. - (UP) ~
American infantry gainec
important ground In savage
fighting against prepared
German positions In North
Tunisia, q communique dis
closed today, but two fierce
Axis counter-attacks checked
the British First Army's
drive into the final range Of HILL
guarding the Tunls plain,
The bltterest fighting centeree
around Djebel Bou AoukaR, north.
east Of MeSlieE.E Fl Bah and approx.
imately 81 miles from Tunls, as The
First Army beat off one Naxl tank
and infantry counter-a attack on
Wednesday afternoon but wa
forced 10 give gorlhd slightly duT.
ing a second enemy onslaught.
A dispatch from Edward w. Zeats
re, United Press correspondent with
the First Army, said that Mle Brit
iSll had captured 800 mor1 prlzeEort
around Djebel u-AoukaE, bringing
their total since April 81 10 more
tain 1900 prisoners, The dispatch
described fighting ~ furious, with
the Germans counter attacking des.
perately and using devastating NOR.
tar IRE against the Allied forces,
The British have stormed 10 with.
IN coo feet OF the crest of Diobel
Bou AQukaE, the last big barrier %
the Tunis plain, before the first
counter attack BY about 900 infan-
trymen and so tanks stopped them
some nine miles southwest Of T1~
bourba.
Heavy Enemy Casualties
The Germans, whose key defensos
on the front from Medjez 10 pone
Du FNhS In the south were threat
eneS with collapse, suffered heavy
casualties In their first counter-at-
tack which was repulsed,
An hour later, however, they made
q second attack and this time their
infantry and tanks succeeded ta
forcing the British back down the
slopes. Again the Axis suffered Sc
we're casualties.
on the Pont Du Fahs sector.
where the French had advanced
close 10 that important junction and
threatened the German flank on
the whole southern front, Allied
troops made only local gains or
engaged IN active patrolling.
Only local gains were reported
from the northern front, too. but
In that area the American and corps
continued TO punish the enemy In
hard fighting around Jeffna on the
road TO Mateur and Bizcrte. About
$4,000 TO 5000 0erlna ntroops are
in carefully prepared hin positions
on the Mateur sector and the Allied
forces are making slow progress.
The Americans continued 10 at
tack In bitter combat for Bald atll
on the Neffna sector. IL miles west
of Mateur. They also advanced on
the sector seven miles east By SOUTH
east of Sidi N'Sir, capturing the
northeastern slope Of Djebel Megtah.
an important hill commanding 9
valley that runs southwark %
Heidous
This valley forms a Junction with
the British First Armym northeast
Of Medjez. The First Army Is sim
punching at the enemy defensea
about four miles east Of HeidouS,
but has made no important advance.
Allied Air Forces continued 30
strike hard &C the enemy but wealth.
er conditions we're unfavorable. a
Of attacks we're made On
the strongest German hill positions
facing the Americans and the Brit
ish Eighth Army.