The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-05-14


 chased the Germans all the way from the Nile Valley. As they left, a dust screen a mile wide rose sev- eral hundred feet in the air.
 As the dust scattered, great fires could be seen burning on the hills.
 Then the white flags of surrender began fluttering from German posi- tions. Enemy soldiers sprang out from all parts of the hills with their hands in the air after 40 minutes of what they later called living he'll Those 40 minutes had finished the Axis in Tunisia.
 A communique issued later said all resistance had ceased.
 No Axis forces remain in North Africa who are not prisoners in our hands," 8 communique said. '"The last remaining elements sur rendered at l145 hours Q1:45 a. m0 18th of May"
 Thus, after six months of fighting minus two days, the last of what once was a large and powerful Ger man and Italian force in Tunisia had laid down its arms and the con- tinent was peaceful except for a weak and infrequent enemy air raids.
 The first contact with the enemy in Tunisia was made last Nov. 15. The Allies announced Wednesday night that all organized resistance had ceased. The few isolated Axis pockets that went on fighting after that were mopped up quickly.
 An Allied naval force successfully shelled the Italian Island of Pan- telleria, midway between Tunisia and Sicily. yesterday morning, the high command revealed.
 Twenty broads:des fell in the Harbor Are," the communique.
 Shor batteries replied ineffective ly.
 There has been speculation that Pantelleria will be one of the first of the Mediterranean Islands to be invaded because 1t is the start Of the steping stones leading to Italy.
 Strong forces of heavy and med ium Allied bombers, with fighter es- cort, attacked the harbor and indus trial area of Cagliari, on the South- ern end of Sardinia, yesterday. Di- rect hits were made on several ships were left afire. One blew up.
 Bursts also were seen in the rail yards and industrial area and many large fires were started, Nine en- my planes were destroyed during this raid.
 For the second consecutive night Axis planes tried to raid Algiers. All were driven off and five were de- stroyed b efore they caused any damage or casualties. It also was announced that five enemy bombe.s had been destroyed in Wednesday nights attack.
 Only on Allied plane was lost in all operations.
 The communique disclosed that on Wednesday night Wellingtons of the strategic bombing force attacEed the railroad yards and docks at Naples, starting fires.
 Axis armies in Tunisia accounted for, there were indications that the bag of prisoners in Allied hands would reach at least 100000 for the latter stages of the campaign (Radio Algiers said that the num- Der of prisoners exceeded 17,0O0) At least IT Axis generals Wert believed to be in Allied hands, in cluding the two prize prisoners, Col Gen. Jurgen Won Arniln, the brok- en and dejected German noblemar who refused to accept the terms o1 unconditional surrender, and Glo' vanni MeSse, commander Of thu Italian First Army.
 Premier Benito Mussolini was re- ported to have promoted Messe iron general to the rank of marshal O. Italy after the Axis defeat. (The German radio said tha Adolf Hitler had congratulated Vor Arnim for his heroic fight" 1T Tunisia. Mussolini also was said t( have congratulated Won Arnim.)
 The Allied command announced that Il Berman and 26 Italian divi' sions had been destroyed in the en' tire African campaign, including the fighting in Egypt and Libya.
 Three of Germany's best Panze! divisions were said to have beer annihilated and every armored di' vision that the Italians ever pos sessed were captured or wiped out
 "For three years Africa has beer an intolerable drain on Axis re sources" an announcement said "As the Spanish war sucked Ma poleon's strength, so Africa swal' lowed Hitler's best picked troops"
 "The Italian island of Pantel