The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-05-04
Big-Scale Conflict
Ahead For Allies
Continued from Page y

ing consolidated and it reached
Mateur without meeting serious
opposition.
Meanwhile, other American troops
south Of the Mateur rnd and
northwest of Tebourba were push
ing eastward against the German
flank. The capture of Mateur also
opened a road southwark for at
tack on Tebourba and, although
there is formidable range of hills
to be passed, this road offers an
opportunity to outfank the last i'm
portant enemy defense line guard
ing the plain of Tunis.
Airfield Devastated
Ranging ahead of the ground
forces, American Flying Fortresses
blasted port installations at Bizerte
while 10 medium bombers led by
Maj. Rodney Wilder of Taylor, Tex.
one Of the participants in the
American raid on Tokyo, devastated
an airfield on the outskirts of Tunis.
Ten and probably II planes were
destroyed on the Tunisian coast,
which Woul dplay an important part
in any Axis evacuation by sea, were
attacked by fighter bombers and fires
started. Fighters meantime, swept
the battle area, strafing enemy po-
sitions and vehicles. Eight planes
were lost in all operations yester-
day.
Can Italian communicate broadcast
by the Rome radio acknowledged
that Axis forces had evacuated Ma
teur and said there was "ively &C
ton" all along the Tunisian 'front.'
(The German communicate said
Mateur was evacuated without fight
ing after all war important install
lations had been destroyed)
American advances along the two
roads leading southeast from Ma
teur threatened to flank strong Ger
man positions in the Medjerda val
ley southwest of Tebourba, where
the British First Army has been vir-
tually stalemated for nearly a week
However, today's communique re-
ported that the First Army made
further slight advances" on the
central front yesterday and it was
likely that the Germans soon would
find 1t necessary to evacuate their
Notifications and withdraw rapidly
to the east to avoid enlightenment.
The First Army is continuing to
exert pressure against the enemy all
along the central front east of
Medjez Ell Bah, the communique
| said.
Considerable Smelling and patrol
activity on the Eighth Army front
to the southeast indicated an immi-
nent renewal of the British drive
northward along the Gulf of Ham
mamet toward Tunis, some As miles
away.
CA BIC broadcast heard by the
federal communications commission
said that the Eighth Army, follow
violent artillery preparation, had
launched an attack north of TAX
rouna, some five miles northwest OF
Enfidaville)
The Allied drive on Bizerte was
developing rapidly. French troops
pushing along the Mediterranean
coast had driven to within IA IL
miles west Of the great naval base
after capturing more than 500 pris-
oners on Saturday alone.
At least two American columns
were thrusting toward Bizerte. From
captured Mateur, one column drove
northeastward along the road pass
Ing between Lakes Akchet and BIZ
zerte toward Ferryville, half way be-
tween Mateur and Bizerte. The 9TH
er was pushing along the road skirt
ing the west bank of Lake Okchet
TO link up with the French troops.
The Germans were believed TO
have erected strong defenses in the
narrow marsh strip between Lake
Akchet and Lake Bizerte, but this
already is threatened with being
thanked by the French column driv-
ing along the seacoast.
Southeast of Mateur, the enemy
probably will make an attempt TO
stem the American advance and the
collapse of the entire Axis line
northwest of TuniS by a desperate
stand in the final range Of hills be-
fore the Tunis plain.
Twin American columns also were
advancing southeastward toward