The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-04-23
Entire Formation of % Six-Engine Air Trans
 ports Wrecked FIVE-DAY NAzI PLANE TOLL BOOSTED TO 20; Eighth Army Turns Back New Counter Attacks By
 ROnlnieI's Forces
BY VIRGIL PTNKLEY

NAANNAA4 2A4N4AMa2A
 Limited Press Staff Correspandeael
 Allied Headquarters, North Africa, April g. = (UPl = Allied fighter planes hava shot down B more Axis air. craft including an entire formation of 20 Six-engine Axis air transports en route to TuniSia, it was disclosed today, spilling enemy sup plies and soldiers into the Mediterranean Sea.
 The new aerial victory over Chs Gulf of Tunis boosted the five-dag toll of enemy airplanes to 20S.
 The British First Army started q new offensive operation on the Axis flank by driving eastward ser. eral miles on a nine-mile front around Bou Arada, south of Medlez- El-Bab, and capturing all initial ob@ jectives in range of hills about ea miles southwest of TuniS.
 On the southern front five miaeA north of Enfidaville and 25 miiea south of Tunis, the British Eighth Army turned back new counter-at~ tacks by Nad Marshal Erwin Rom. mel and held all gains in the coastal hills.
 OffensiveS Acknowledged
 CThe Italian radio acknowledge6 strong Allied offensives in TunzAA but the German cummuniapa claimed thaht attacks by Supef2oz numbers of Allied troops has been frustrated" on the Enfidavills front.)
 The air victory over the Gull of Tuntis, where not a single enemy transport escaped, was scored hs Spitfires and Kittyhawk lighters. which also downed ten enemy es- cort planes of which nine were Mes serschmitt l0S,s. GA Cairo cona- munique said that 2l giant McSser- schmitt S23 transports were shot down in the battle, but only % were announced at North Africa head QuarterS.)
 The big planes. numbering scnth- ward to Tunis, were seen to crash after being attacked by the Allied fighter pilots, who said that they saw dozens of soldiers tumble into the water. This was regarded as definite proof that Rommel still was rushing endorsements as well as supplies to his hard-pressed Tu- nisiaa armies. It was believed that some personnel, not needed in the final siege battle. had been evac1- ated from Tunisia earlier.
 Pilots who shot down the ME- 323's said that after the big planes hit the water they could see troops climb out and struggle desperately in the water.
 The pilots also reported seeing the gasoline carrier planes crash from a lew level into the sea. spreading burning gasoline over the water m which the Axis crews had fallen.
 Pilots said that the ME-323 trans~ ports also appeared to be carrying gasoline which is nedded by Rom mel's tanks. Each of the ME- 32s's can carry l20 to lso fully equipped soldiers and l4 tons of supplies.
 Although the smashing of the air transports was the most spectaczllar development disclosed in t0dag& eonaznunique from headquarters ek Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, kiseEe were important developments in the land battles now raging along both the southern and western fronts en- closing the northeastern TsEDisie corner. It also was disclosed that the Axis lost g (instead Of zD tanks and many men in the Med5ez- el-Bab sector Tuesday night.
 After breaking up ROmmei's Ma~ jOr cOunter-attack south of A1edjez- el Bab "Wednesday. the Bxifish First Army. rnder Gen. K. A. N Anderson launched another ozen~ siye at a. m. Thursday on a fEDnt between Goubellat and BOu ATnaas south Of MedJez.
 Late reports from the front sa14 they had advanced three miles an8
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