The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-04-10
Americans, BritOns Gain
Ground on All Tunisian
Fronts
AXIS EVACUATE PICHON,
S. MILES FROM SOUSSE
Axis Transports Believed
Headed Toward Sfax;
Allies Lose 6 Planes
BY VIRGIL PINKLEY

bx VAhNAk FANkLEx
UNITED Press Staff Correspondent
Allied Headquarters, North
Africa, April 10. - CUP
- Allied armies plunged
through crumbling Axis de-
lenses on all Tunisian fronts
today, driving the enemy
from the important coastal
cities of MahareS and Sfax
and from the mountain
strongholds Of Pichon and
Fondouk in an all out offensive that
again threatened to cut off the
fleeing Afrika KolpS Of Marshal
Erwin Rommel.
Spured on by an order from
General Sir Bernard L. Montgomery
to smash on to Tun.s and drive
the enemy into the sea-" the British
Eighth Army surged up the coastal
road toward Soussc at the rate Of
more than Is miles q day to seiza
both Mahares and Sfax and pursue
the beaten enemy on toward the
north. Axis troops we're under
constant aerial attack.
The British spearhcad entered
SfaX which had been furiously
bombed by the Allied. Air Forces
at 8:l5 a. m. today after covering
the % miles from Mahares III
approximately 10 hours,
Threat b S0usse
The new threat to Sousse was de-
veloping from an Anglo Americans
French attack launched Thursday
in the Fondouk area SO miles 10
the west southwest. The initial ace
vance won high ground nortn rnd
south OF Fondouk and netted 500
prisoners.
Can Algiers broadcast said the
Allies have captured Pichon. about
five miles northwest of Fondcuks
Earlier German breakfasts acS-
nowledged that Axis forces were
pulling out Of the town.
It Is the mountains above SouSse.
70 miles north Of Sfax, that Ger
man Marshal Erwin Romnnel Is ex-
pected to make his next stand
against the Eighth army driving up
from the south and Anglo-k . erie
can-FTench troops to the southeast
The new Allied attack In the
Fondouk area may force ROmmes
to attempt to break off even rear
guard action in his race to reach
the natural defenSes OF the mouns
tainS.
The British first army's i0-niie
advance In the northern sector was
over the rock streWn. mined heights
on an arc some 80 to 40 miles below
Tunis and Bizerte. One thousand
prisoners have been captured since
the attack was launched on broad
front between Medjez FL Bah ana
Unchar Tuesday.
Altogether, Allied communicates
issued in the last three weeks have
enumerated the capture OF 2l.550
prisoners in addition to referring
vaguely to scattered groups OK
many prisoners.
Gen. Sir Bernard L. Montgomery
in a message to his Eighth Army
Thursday as it began to gather
speed after breaking through the
Axis defenses at Wadi Akarit, de-
clared:
"If we collect prisoners at the
present rate, the enemy soon VIII
have no infantry left to hold ais
positions.
Forward 10 Tunis"
1.-THE triumphant cry now Is: For~
ward to Tunisi Drive the enemy iEl~
to the Seal"
Today's communique reported tliaa
a General Mannerini and the heads
quarters of the Saharan group We're
captured Thursday.
The battle rapidly was movies
into territory in northern TunisiA
which holds some Of the We. de
richest military history. 1t was fr.Ta
Carthage, only a few miles outside
Tunis. that Hannibal. generally rec
garded as the first Of an soi0lesA
was born. Carthage for time rule4
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