THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY APRIL 26, 1943:
French troops have seized Djebel Mansour, strategic hill position
10 miles southwest of Pont duFahs, the French announced today,
while Allied armor and infantry kept hammering at German
positions all along the mountainous, 140-mile Tunisian front.
In bomb-scarred cathedrals and churches, at outdoor altars set up in
city parks, and at their own camps and installations, American soldiers
throughout Great Britain yesterday celebrated their second Easter of the
war.
With music by their own military bands and with massed regimental
flags as a colorful background members of the U.S. contingent in the
British Isles joined with civilians and members of other Allied services in the ceremonies
American, British and French troops advanced steadily eastward against
stubborn resistance on the northern and central fronts in Tunisia, while the
Eighth Army prepared for its next move northward along the coast, according
to dispatches reaching London last night
After accomplishing a flight of nearly 1,500 miles Allied heavy bombers dropped
21 tons of explosives and incendiaries on Kendari in the Celebes, today's official
communique says.Kendari is one of the main air supply assembly bases for the
enemy in the Netherlands East Indies.
The first of a fleet of 200 blimps, armed with depth
charges and guns, are now guarding more than 1,000 ships a month against submarine
action in the Atlantic, the Navy Department announced yesterday. Only
one ship in their care has been lost.
The Charleston Gazette
Charleston, West Virginia, Monday Morning. April 26. 1943.
Four Allied Armies Cut Deep
Gaps in Foe's Tunisian Lines
French Seize
Strong Point;
Yanks Advance
Djebel Mansour Falls;
Bon Ficha Threatened;
Tank Battle Rages
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
NORTH AFRICA, April 25.—(AP)—
French troops have seized Djebel Mansour, strategic hill position
10 miles southwest of Pont duFahs, the French announced today,
while Allied armor and infantry kept hammering at German
positions all along the mountainous, 140-mile Tunisian front.
Djebel Mansour, scene of bloody fighting earlier in the Tunisian
campaign, was evacuated by the Germans after "lively pressure".
from French troops intensified in the last 24 hours, a French communique
declared, and one spokesman said it might be the first indications
Germans were starting evacuation of their southern positions.
The hill is the key to high defenses the Germans held
on the northern end of the Grand Dorsal, which formed a salient
into Allied-held territory— North of this French advance,
Gen. Sir Harold Alexander has thrown British armor into a savage
battle with two German tank divisions southeast of Goubellat, a
headquarters spokesman said.
Tank Fighting Heavy
THE STARS AND STRIPES
Daily Newspaper of U.S. Armed Forces in the European Theater of Operations
New York, N.Y.—London, England Monday, April 26, 1943
Dawn Rites
Highlight of
ETO Easter
U.S. Servicemen Worship
In Cathedrals, Camps;
Parties for Orphans
By Bryce W. Burke
Stars and Stripes Staff Writer
In bomb-scarred cathedrals and churches, at outdoor altars set up in
city parks, and at their own camps and installations, American soldiers
throughout Great Britain yesterday celebrated their second Easter of the
war.
With music by their own military bands and with massed regimental
flags as a colorful background members of the U.S. contingent in the
British Isles joined with civilians and members of other Allied services in the ceremonies
commemorating the Resurrection of Christ.
Training activities were suspended for the day, but with pass and furlough restrictions
in effect because of transportation problems the great majority of the
troops attended services in their own camps.
Following the religious ceremonies, which began at sunrise, many of the
camps continued a holiday practice inaugurated soon after the Americans
arrived here. Evacuated and orphaned children were the soldiers' guests for the
day, receiving gifts of candy, watching American movies and eating GI rations
as a substitute for the traditional American Easter egg-rolling.
U.S. Troops Gain on New Front in North
Moved from Guettar
Yanks Near Mateur
In Difficult Terrain
Second Corps Now lO Miles from Key Town;
British Take Most of Long Stop Hill;
Air Offensive Reaches New High
American, British and French troops advanced steadily eastward against
stubborn resistance on the northern and central fronts in Tunisia, while the
Eighth Army prepared for its next move northward along the coast, according
to dispatches reaching London last night.
The United States Second Corps, switched to the extreme northern front
from El Guettar with a speed and secrecy which earned the praise of Gen.
Alexander, were advancing toward Mateur and last night were reported only
10 miles from the important Axis stronghold.
A few miles to the south bitter fighting was going on for the eastern slopes
of Longstop Hill (Hill 174), which was almost entirely retaken Saturday
night by few hundred British Tommies after a terrific artillery barrage.
Nearer the coast the British Eighth Army prepared for an assault on the
enemy's Hailouf Line, north of Enfidaville—a line considered even stronger
than the one at El Alamein, where the British crashed through in November to
begin the.ir advance across Libya to Tunisia.
1,500 Air Sorties
The Allied aerial offensive, mean while reached a new peak as a total of 1,500
sorties were carried out by American, British and Allied air forces in one day.
It was also revealed that the Axis lost 31 instead of 21 of its biggest air transports—
the Messerschmitt 323s—in the second big air battle of the Mediterranean
Thursday.
This represented a much bigger loss to the Axis than the earlier battle in which
61 Ju52s were shot down, since the Me323s can carry as many as 130 men each to
the Ju52's 20 men.
Axis air forces have been practically driven from the skies, while ton after ton
of bombs have been hurled on vital positions by Allied planes.
Allied Bombers
Fly 1,500 Miles
In Raid on Japs
Drop 21 Tons of Bombs
On Enemy Base
In Celebes
ALLIED HQ, Australia, Apr. 25 (AP)
—After accomplishing a flight of nearly 1,500 miles Allied heavy bombers dropped
21 tons of explosives and incendiaries on Kendari in the Celebes, today's official
communique says.
Kendari is one of the main air supply assembly bases for the enemy in the
Netherlands East Indies. Explosives and incendiaries were dropped on the airdrome workshop areas and among ground aircraft, destroying
at least five twin-engined planes parked on the runway, and practically wiping
out the workshop and repair hangars.
A large convoy of Japanese ships was attacked by Liberators northwest of
Wewak, New Guinea, during which five Japanese Zeroes were shot down, the
communique announced.
On Friday Allied planes struck at a Japanese convoy off Kavieng, New Ireland.
Liberators attacked, leaving one 8,000- ton ship sinking, and on fire.
Japanese raiders have appeared over Funafuti, the biggest of the Ellice Islands
in the Pacific, which were re-occupied by American forces recently,. but no action
is reported from them.
Blimps Thwarting Subs
Off U.S. East Coast
WASHINGTON, Apr. 25—The first of a fleet of 200 blimps, armed with depth
charges and guns, are now guarding more than 1,000 ships a month against submarine
action in the Atlantic, the Navy Department announced yesterday. Only
one ship in their care has been lost.
With a cruising speed of 80 miles an hour, blimps are nearly four times as fast
as the fastest Axis submarine. Lighter than air, they can hover practically
motionless over their target and bomb it as accurately as dropping stones down a
well.
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