Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-03-09
RommeI's Forces
Retreat Deeper
Into Defenses
BY the Associated Press.

lost so tanks and fallen back into
the hills along the Mareth Line
n Southern TuniSia today, after
six violent, but unsuccessful, at
tacks against the British 9Th
Army. Axis setbacks were re-
ported in two other sectors of
the Tunisian battle theater.
In the north, an Allied COM
munique said, the Germans were
forced to withdraw after launching
an assault near Tamera, 7 miles
west of Sedjenane and AZ miles
west of the big Axis naval base
at Bizerte.
Allied troops captured about 200
prisoners before the Germans re-
treated, it was announced.
French Occupy Town.
In lower Central Tunisia, French
troops operating near the Chott
Djerid (salt lake, region 100 miles
northwest of the Mareth Line oc-
cupied the town Of Tozeur, so miles
southwest of Gafsa.
Allied patrols were reported op-
Grating on the outskirts of Gafsa
itself.
In the air fighter bombers and
fighters OF the western desert force
poured bombs and gunfre on Rom
mel's retreating armor and trans
port and inflicted considerable
damage" the communicate said.
Other Allied flyers carried out SIM
liar attacks in the Sedjenane area
where buildings occupied by troops
were blown up.
While on sea sweep bombers
and fighters encountered a large
formation of Axis planes and shot
down II of them, the communique
said.
Flying Fortresses escorted by
Lightnings engaged a combined
force of 80 Messerschmitt l09s,
Focke-W ulf 1905 and Junkers 88s
in a Commute battle over the
Sicilian Straits and the Fortresses
accounted for 10 of the German
fighters, while the Lightnings got T.
a military spokesman said.
In addition, the Fortresses OBJ
served two more Axis planes COL
lided in the air.
The Italians claimed that five
Allied planes were shot down in a
battle over an Axis convoy.
All told. the Allies announced they
accounted for 81 Axis aircraft yes
terday and lost themselves.
Heavy Caliber Guns.
In an apparent effort to counter
the Fortresses, the American air.
men sadi the Junkers 88s, usually
employed for bombing, were
equipped with heavy caliber guns
and converted to a sort of flying
battleship
The heavy concentration Of Axis
aircraft over the strait was taken
by observers as an indication that
Allied sea sweeps are making them
selves felt on the enemy supply line
Only the day before the Fortresses
and twin -motored bombers had sunk
or damaged seven Axis ships in a
convoy.
The fighting west of Sedjenane
small station about 40 miles west
of Bizerte and II miles south OF
the sea was officially described as
heavy, with Col Gen. Jurgen Won
Arnim, the Axis northern com
mander, launching two half-hearted
attacks which resulted in heavy
losses for his forces, including 80
smashed vehicles.
The Germans started another
local attack to the south along the
Mateur-Beja road, but it was re-
pulsed and the Nazis lost ground.
Rommel. smashed back In his eX-
pertinent in attacking his nemesis.
the British 9th Army, was said to
have pulled into the high ground
about Hallour and to be continuing
his retreat.
No Indications of Pursuit.
There was no indica ton that Gen.
B. l.. Montgomery, chief of the 9th
Army was undertaking a pursuit,
however, and the Allied conmuni-
que sale that only patrol activity
was engaged in yesterday by the
9th Army.
The tanks abandoned by the
German strategIst in front Of
massed British guns and armor and
under a heavy aerial pounding con-
sisted Of three Mark II, two Marx
III, eight neW-type Mark III, 10
Mark III specials and 10 Mark "
specials, the communique said.
The neW-type Mark Ills were
said to be equipped with 75-milh-
meter cannon
A spokesman at Allied hcadquar-
tiers said Rommels tank and infan-
try strokes at Gen. Montgomery s
army had completely failed" and
that he had withdrawn without in
flicting major damage on the Brit
iSh
Although the British took heavy
toll Of Nazi tanks without losing
one Of their own, it was known
that Rommel has a strong force of