Current Events April 13, 1087BC and 1943AD:

THIS WAS THEN; Reported, April 13, 1087BC

1^st Samuel 15:4; So Saul assembled the army and mustered them at Telaim. There were 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah. 15:5 Saul proceeded to the city of Amalek, where he set an ambush in the wadi.

THIS WAS TODAY; Reported, April 13, 1943:

Dispatches from Kairouan told of the joy with which inhabitants

greeted the first allied troops to enter the holy city, whose utilities

had been wrecked by the Germans before they pulled out on Saturday

night. Hand-clapping Arabs and French citizens lined the streets,

while Jews, still wearing the star of David on their coat lapels as required

by the Germans, tore them off and stomped them before the allied troops.

The last instance was at the Wadi el Akarit defense in Tunisia, where the Eighth army's successful break-through is reported to have been preceded by a bombardment of 500 field pieces.

Slashing into what appeared to be the beginning of a

Japanese aerial offensive, American P38 Lightnings and P40 Kittyhawks

caught a formation of 45 enemy planes in the sub-stratosphere above

Oro Bay, New Guinea, yesterday, and shot 23 out of action, with five divebombers

and 12 Zeros definitely destroyed.

                  THE BILLINGS GAZETTE

BILLINGS, MONTANA, TUESDAY MORNING, APRIL 13, 1943

British and French forces moving in from the west in the general

allied scheme to box the axis in an area approximately 90 miles long

by 40 miles wide in the northwestern tip of Tunisia were reported

making progress, The communique said French troops made a local

advance in the Djebel Ousseltn area, some 25 miles west of Kairouan,

and continued to take a large number of prisoners, while the British

in the Mcdjez-el-Bab Munchar secitor. reported "steady progress."

Western front attacks in that war usually were preceded by concentrated artillery

fire from guns of different ranges, designed to soften up tho enemy and make

possible infantry advances. Montgomery first used artillery in that manner to break

the German lines at El Alamein. He repeated the, procedure whenever the axis

forces under Rommel sought to make a stand. The last instance was at the Wadi

el Akarit defense in Tunisia, where the Eighth army's successful break-through is reported to have been preceded by a bombardment of 500 field pieces.

The Charleston Gazette

Charleston_West_Virginia, Tuesday Morning, April 13. 1943.

Sousse, Kairouan Captured,

Allies Push Rommel Forces

Into Narrow Tunisia Corner

Enemy May Stand

Near Enfidaville

Pursuers Within Range

Of Mountain Line

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN

NORTH AFRICA, April 12.—(AP)-

Plunging northward with almost reckless speed toward a final

accounting with Marshal Erwln Rommel's Africa corps, the British

8th army occupied Sousse today, almost within gunshot of

the new Axis mountain line anchored near Enfidaville.

Though impeded by demolitions. Gen. Sir Bernard L. Montgomery'*

eager veterans covered the 75 miles from Sfax, which they captured on

Saturday morning, in exactly- 48 hours. Rommel's rear guard put up

only slight opposition as it raced a final 25 miles under a hail of aerial

bombs to join the bulk of Germanand Italian forces now concentrated

behind emplacements running from

Enfidaville 40 miles northwestwardr to Point-du-Fahs

   THE STARS AND STRIPES

Daily Newspaper of U.S. Armed Forces in the European Theater of Operations

           New York, N.Y.—London, England Tuesday, April 13, 1943

Fighters Get

23 Jap Planes

At Oro Bay•/

P38s, P40s, Intercept 45

Enemy Craft in Highest

Altitude Battle

ALLIED HQ, Southwest Pacific,

Apr. 12 (AP)—Slashing into what appeared to be the beginning of a

Japanese aerial offensive, American P38 Lightnings and P40 Kittyhawks

caught a formation of 45 enemy planes in the sub-stratosphere above

Oro Bay, New Guinea, yesterday, and shot 23 out of action, with five divebombers

and 12 Zeros definitely destroyed.

The air battle was the first in the southwest Pacific to be fought at heights between

20.000 and 35.000 feet.

This Japanese raid was the second heaviest on the lovely coconut palmfrin

«ed base on the southeast coast of Papua. Eighty-five Japanese bombers

and fighters attacked Oro Bay on March 28, and 25 of them were shot out of action

by the Allied airforce.

Fort Gets Two

Ten Zeros attacked a Flying Fortress on reconnaissance off New Ireland, flying

at 13.000 feet. In the first encounter the bomber's guns

jammed and the Fortress dived like a fighter-plane to within 200 feet of the

water. Fighting back just above the waves, the Fortress shot two Zeros into

the sea, set a third on fire, hit and damaged three more and then came safelyhome.

American Lightnings, which are able to meet the Zeros at any altitude the Japanese

may choose, met them in- sub-stratosphere dog-fights, and when the Japs were

driven downwards they were met by Kittyhawks.

Between them the two types of American planes used eliminated 50 per

cent of the Japanese raiders. Thus, in the fast three battles over Oro

Bay, Allied fighters have knocked out of action 62 out of 170 Jap planes, which

makes the cost of the raids almost prohibitive for the enemy.

Sweep for Last Ditch Fight

Libs Attack in Solomons

WASHINGTON, Apr. 12 (AP)—

Liberators attacked Kahili airdrome in the Jap-occupied Shortland Islands yesterday,

scoring direct hits on the runway and anti-aircraft positions, the Navy Department

announced today.

Two attacks on Munda, in the Solomons, were carried out yesterday by

Catalina patrol bombers during the night, and Avenger torpedo-bombers in the

morning.' Fires and heavy explosions resulted from both attacks.

Trieste Is Sunk,

Photos Disclose

Aerial reconnaissance photographs revealed yesterday at Allied headquarters

in North Africa that the Italian cruiser Trieste, bombed at La. Maddalena,

Sardinia, on Friday, had sunk. Another cruiser, the Gorizia, which

was hit in the same attack by Flying Fortresses under Maj. Gen. James H.

(Jimmy) Doolittle, was still afloat but badly damaged. Several tugs were lying

alongside her and oilslicks were spreading from the injured ship.

Completed in 1928, the 10,000-ton Trieste mounted eight eight-inch guns, 12

3.9 inchers and 18 AA guns of smaller caliber.

In a still later blow at Italy's port facilities, Liberators of the U.S. Ninth

Air Force on Saturday again raided Naples, it was announced yesterday in

Cairo. Two moles were damaged and direct hits smashed the Galato Pollene

quay, the communique said.

Allies Speeding

North to Close

Axis in Corner

Sousse, Kairouan Taken;

Speed of Rommel's Retreat

THII WAS TODAY; Current Events April 12, 1943: Allied armies were driving Rommel back on every important front in Tunisia last night, while their warplanes smashed with increasing fury at the retreating Axis columns and at lines of communications and supply. With the capture of Sfax by the Eighth Army, the Axis defense of southern Tunisia collapsed, and overwhelming Allied forces were closing in last night on the port of Sousse, American heavy bombers struck Wewak, key Jap base in northern Guinea, at dawn yesterday, dumping 30 tons of bombs on the port, destroying a cargo and an ammunition ship and damaging two others, today's communique reports. Big fires were left burning after a direct hit had blown up an ammunition dump on shore, dock installations and antiaircraft positions. The only Jap fighter encountered was shot down in flames, the communique added.

New longrange German U-boats, which Berlin says are capable of staying several months at sea, have appeared off the U.S. east coast, the Navy Department announced today.

       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 12, 1943

Axis Defense Folds in Southern Tunisia

8th Army Past Sfax,

Allies Moving East

To Take Kairouan

Americans, British, French Occupy Pichon,

Force Fondouk in Drive to Coast;

Prisoners Now Total 23,000

Allied armies were driving Rommel back on every important front in

Tunisia last night, while their warplanes smashed with increasing fury at the

retreating Axis columns and at lines of communications and supply.

With the capture of Sfax by the Eighth Army, the Axis defense of southern

Tunisia collapsed, and overwhelming Allied forces were closing in last

night on the port of Sousse, 60 miles north of Sfax, and on Kairouan, 30

miles inland. Through Kairouan, now menaced by Allied forces sweeping

eastwards toward the coast, columns of Axis troops were streaming in their

retreat before the Eighth Army.

The Eighth Army, sweeping on past Sfax, which it occupied at 8.15 o'clock

Saturday morning, was reported to be advancing with increasing speed,

spurred on by a message from the commander, Gen. Montgomery—" On

to Tunis ! " The desert army appeared now to be carrying out the last of

the three stages of the campaign which Montgomery set forth before the

Battle of the Mareth Line.

On the flank, meanwhile, American and British tank and infantry forces,

having captured Pichon and broken through the vital Fondouk Gap late

Friday, were sweeping down the flat road towards Kairouan, the Holy City of

Tunisia and the biggest communications point in the central area. Once they reach

Kairouan they will be only 30 miles from the port of Sousse, which is also the next

big city threatened by the Eighth Army, now some 60 miles to the south.

Yanks Trapped

By Foe Return

With Prisoners

Sweated Out Three Days

Behind Enemy Lines,

Then Took Hill

SOUTHERN TUNISIA, Apr. 8 ( P A )

—How an American infantry battalion, caught between the enemy lines for three

days without food or water, stuck through heavy artillery and mortar fire in their

hill position and finally captured 200 Italian prisoners was told today by a

grinning lieutenant and a tough sergeant. " We moved in on their flank and got

between their lines. It took us three days to find out who v/as in a hole—them or

us," said Sgt. Bradley E. Casey, 33, of Chicago, who has been in the regular

army ten years.

" We attacked them on the point of a horseshoe curve of a hill east of El

Guettar on Mar. 28," said 2/Lt. Cedric Lafiey, 24, of Enosburg Falls, Vt.

General's Jottings in Air Log

Describe Battle Over Antwerp

A U.S. BOMBER STATION, England,

Apr. 11—The story of how Brig. Gen. Frank A. Armstrong, of Nashville, N.C.,

helped save the life of his navigator during the raid on Antwerp last Monday

was told by Eighth Air Force headquarters today. Intelligence officers

gleaned the story from the General's air log—observations jotted down during

lulls in what some pilots said was the fiercest air fighting yet in the ETO.

A 20-mm. shell exploded in the nose of the B17, severely wounding the navigator,

Capt. Robert J. Salitrnik, of Alhambra, Cal.

While the attacks continued, smashing the main wing spar and starting a fire in

the cockpit. Gen. Armstrong grabbed a walk-around bottle and crawled forward

to give first aid to Salitrnik who was bleeding profusely from a leg wound.

Maj. James C. Wilson, of Bowling Green, Ohio, pilot of the ship, and other

members of the crew reported that Capt. Salitrnik was recovering in the hospital.

Bombers Sink

Two Jap Ships

Off Wewak Base

30 Tons of Bombs Dumped

On Ammunition Stores,

Shore Installations

ALLIED HQ, Southwest Pacific. Apr, 11—American heavy bombers struck

Wewak, key Jap base in northern Guinea, at dawn yesterday, dumping 30 tons of

bombs on the port, destroying a cargo and an ammunition ship and damaging

two others, today's communique reports. Big fires were left burning after a direct

hit had blown up an ammunition dump on shore, dock installations and antiaircraft

positions. The only Jap fighter encountered was shot down in flames, the

communique added.

Long-range fighters at dawn executed a sweep along the New Guinea coast,

strafing with cannon and machine-gun fire an enemy airdrome, a power house and

installations at Alexishaffen. In Madang harbor a power barge was sunk, and a

huge fire was started that was still burning three hours later. Heavy bombers, later

in the day, bombed and strafed the airdromein single attacks.

After daylight Allied medium bombers bombed and strafed ground installations

at Bogia. Two direct hits completely destroyed a battery of five heavy machineguns.

A nearby fuel servicing unit set surface craft ablaze.

Medium bombers successfully attacked enemy positions in Timor, Tanimbar

Islands, Aroe Islands and New Britain.

                                                     U.S. Lose 3 Ships

Forts Smash

Italian Cruisers

Two Italian heavy cruisers have been put out of action for the duration of the

North African campaign by the largest group of Forts ever to be employed in

any part of the world, it was announced yesterday at Allied Headquarters in North

Africa.

The Forts, under the command of Maj. Gen. J. H. (Jimmy) Doolittle, found the

Gorizia and the Trieste, heavy cruisers, each 10,000 tons, armed with 8-inch

guns, at La Maddalena harbor. Sardinia.

The result of the attack will not be known fully until photographs taken on the raid

have been studied. Naming of the Gorizia has aroused

considerable curiosity. This cruiser was reported torpedoed by a British submarine

in June, 1941. Possibly another vessel of the same type has been given the name.

This ruse has been adopted by the Germans in the past to conceal losses.

U-Boats Again Operating

Off East Coast of U.S.

WASHINGTON, Apr. 10—New longrange German U-boats, which Berlin

says are capable of staying several months at sea, have appeared off the U.S. east

coast, the Navy Department announced today.

The disclosure followed news that survivors of a U.S. merchantman, sunk* off

the coast early this month—the first since August—have been landed at Miami

THIS WAS TODAY; Current Events April 11, 1943; United States Lightning fighter plane pilots scored one of their greatest triumphs of the war today when they shot down 27 Italian and German aircraft including 18 Junkers transports, in a 15-minute battle over the Sicilian narrows between Sicily and Tunis. Marshal Erwin Rommels shattered Afrika Korps falling back before striking A l l i e d armies, prepared Saturday for a final stand in the Tunis-Bizerte sector 'as the Allies' trapped the enemy inside a coastal box about 168 miles long and from 30 to 72 miles wide.

                             The Charleston Daily Mail

C H A R L E S T O N , WEST V I R G I N I A , S U N D A Y M O R N I N G , APRIL 1 1 , 1 9 4 3

Yanks Down 27 Planes Off Sicily;

Nazis Pressed Into 168-Mile Trap

No U.S. Fighters Lost

In Stunning Triumph

German Crews Jump Without Fight

As Aid Flight to Rommel Is Cut Off

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS. North Africa (UP).—United

States Lightning fighter plane pilots scored one of their greatest

triumphs of the war today when they shot down 27 Italian and

German aircraft including 18 Junkers transports, in a 15-minute

battle over the Sicilian narrows between Sicily and Tunis.

The Yanks, flying speedy twin-motored Lightnings, sailed into

I a n enemy formation of 30 to 50 planes at 7:45 a. m. and every

American .shot down or damaged an enemy ship. No American

planes were lost.

It. was ihe second time this week the Americans had tangled with

such a huge force of enemy trans port planes presumably flying des-

perately needed supplies to Field; Marshal Erwin Rommel's Tunisian

armies. On Monday, in the same; general area, the. Lightnings also

bagged 18 big Junkers transports.

Most, of which were believed carrying fuel for Rommel's tanks. and

shot down 13 of their escort planes.

Flee North

To Prepare

Final Stand

Defenses Crumble

Under Swift Blows

As Allies Race On

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS,

North Africa (UP).—Marshal

Erwin Rommels shattered Afrika Korps falling back before

striking A l l i e d armies, prepared Saturday for

a final stand in the Tunis-Bizerte sector 'as the Allies'

trapped the enemy inside a coastal box about 168 miles long

and from 30 to 72 miles wide. This area is shorter than from

New York to Boston and narrower than from New York lo Philadelphia,

and is constantly being squeezed. The greatest 'pressure

was against the south end of the box as the eighth army rolled up

the coast through Mahares, where it. encountered some resistance, and

through Sfax, which had been bombed furiously by Allied planes.

Allied armies struck rapidly through crumbling Axis defense

lines to close in on the last German bridgehead in North Africa

as Rommel sought, to join the forces under Nazi Gen. Jurgen. von

Arnim.

Forts Bomb

2 Warships

Doolittles Armada

Raids Sardinia Base

Fying Forts Get Direct Hits

on Heavy Warcraft in •

Italian Naval Base.

Allied Headquarters, North

Africa —(UP)— One of the largest concentrations of Flying'

Fortresses ever in action attacked the Italian naval base

at La Maddalena, Sardinia, Saturday blasting the heavy

cruisers 'Trieste and Gorizia so heavily that they were expected

to be immobilized for some time. Sweeping up from north Africa

in strong force without^ fighter escort, the fortresses dropped a

pulverizing rain of bombs on the naval base, in addition to scoring

crippling hits on the 10,000-ton cruisers.

All the fortresses returned safely from the raid.

Details of the attack were Sketchy pending a; study of aerial

photographs, .but Fortress crewmen were confident that" tne cruisers

would be out of action at least during the remainder of the north African

campaign and probably much longer.

Maj. Gen. James H. Doolittle, commander of the northwest African

air force, commanded the Fortresses in the daylight attack

on the Maddalena base.

THIS WAS TODAY; Current Events April 10, 1943: The blitz forces of the British Eighth Army pursued Rommel's beaten A f r i k a Korps up the Tunisian coast today as the Desert Air Force pounded the enemy troops fleeing northeast from Mazzouna and north from Mahares. The Eighth Army had taken 9,500 prisoners since the i n i t i a l attacks on Tuesday morning. A Japanese withdrawal from Lae and Salamaua in British New Guinea is believed to lie behind considerable enemy activity along the northeast coast of the island, according to reliable reports from the Southwest Pacific.

      THE STARS AND STRIPES

Daily Newspaper of U.S. Armed Forces in the European Theater of Operations

                     New York, N.Y.—London, England Saturday, April 10, 1943

Allies Advance, 10,000 Prisoners Taken

Alexander Lauds

U.S. Second Corps

For Part in Drive

Desert Air Force Pounds Fleeing Enemy,

Yanks Mop Up El Giiettar Sector,

British Reach Mahares Line

ALLIED HQ, North Africa, Apr. 9 (API—The blitz forces of the British

Eighth Army pursued Rommel's beaten A f r i k a Korps up the Tunisian coast

today as the Desert Air Force pounded the enemy troops fleeing northeast

from Mazzouna and north from Mahares. The Eighth Army had taken

9,500 prisoners since the i n i t i a l attacks on Tuesday morning.

The American Second Corps mopped up the El Guettar area, taking

1.300 prisoners. Its achievement in engaging the bulk of the enemy's armor

earlier this week on the Eighth Army's flank was highly praised by General

Alexander at a press conference.

Raids by British and American a i r c r a f t were maintained against the retreating

foe during the last two days. A total of 130 enemy vehicles have been

destroyed and 200 damaged. U.S. troops today captured the Djebel

Mazaila height in the mountain range north of Maknassy.

Rommel, pressed hard by Gen. Montgomery's forces, was growing short ol

transports to extricate his rearguard. In the Medjez El Bab sector of northern

Tunisia, the British offensive operations continued and long-range guns knocked

out two enemy tanks.

Jap Withdrawal

At Lae for New

Base Reported

A Japanese withdrawal from Lae and

Salamaua in British New Guinea is believed to lie behind considerable enemy

activity along the northeast coast of the island, according to reliable reports from

the Southwest Pacific.

The Japs are hastily developing Wewak. 300 miles north of Lae, as their main

base, and Mandang, 150 miles north of Lae. as their main forward base,

A huge airfield is under construction with fighter fields nearby in Wewak.

A single Hudson bomber on reconnaissance yesterday bombed and strafed

12 Japanese supply barges for one hour off Kaukenau, on the coast of Dutch New

Guinea, today's Allied communique says. Fires were started on a patrol boat

and three power-driven barges. The remainder were hit and damaged.

The communique also revealed that 34 instead of 37 Jap planes were shot down

near Guadalcanal yesterday.

RAF in 'Heavy'

Attack on Ruhr

21 Planes Fail to Return,

Weather Described as

'Bad' by Crews

Heavy bombers of the RAF attacked Germany's industrial heart Thursday

night in the second blow against the Ruhr in less than a week. An Air Ministry

communique yesterday said 21 planes failed to return.

The weather over Germany was " bad." returning crews reported, and the effects

of the bombing were difficult to observe. Beyond describing the attack as " heavy "

the communique gave no indication of how many planes were involved or the

amount of explosives dropped on Hitler's arms-producing center.

In the earlier blow at the Ruhr on Saturday, a great fleet of four-engined

air freighters raided the Krupp works at Essen and unloaded a 900-ton cargo of

bombs. Essen was the target for two big raids last month.

THIS WAS TODAY; Current Events April 9, 1943: American and British troops, who joined forces halfway down the road between Gafsa and Gabes Wednesday with an informal " Hello there, Limey" and "Glad to see you, Yank," were hot on the heels of Rommel's retreating Afrika Korps along the coastal reaches of southern Tunisia last night. A Japanese air armada of 98 planes attempting to bomb U.S. shipping off Guadalcanal yesterday—the first anniversary of the fall of Bataan—was crushed by U.S. fighters in one of the greatest air combats in the Solomons area.

     THE STARS AND STRIPES

Daily Newspaper of U.S. Armed Forces in the European Theater of Operations

                      New York, N.Y.—London, England Friday, April 9, 1943

Yanks, British Join in Pursuit Axis

Foe in Full Retreat,

Loses Much Material

And Many Prisoners

U.S. Offensive Kept Much Rommel Armor

Busy as Montgomery's Army Smashed

Through Wadi Akarit Defenses

American and British troops, who joined forces halfway down the road

between Gafsa and Gabes Wednesday with an informal " Hello there,

Limey" and "Glad to see you, Yank," were hot on the heels of Rommel's

retreating Afrika Korps along the coastal reaches of southern Tunisia last

night.

In the Maknassy area, where the Americans have been advancing slowly

but steadily for days, the enemy was still fighting a rearguard action, and

in Maknassy Pass 'itself artillery duels were reported to be in progress.

Many prisoners were reported to have been taken in the American advance

east of El Guettar, though no official count has been announced.

The junction of the American and British forces was made by small patrols

n armored scout cars. There was no enemy opposition, and the two patrols

just advanced along the road until they met. The men climbed out, shook hands

and took pictures.

Rommel, it appeared last night, was in full flight. Abandoning much material,

the enemy was retreating northwards along the Tunisian coast towards La

Skirra—and along the road from ElGuettar toward the coast.

Hard on his heels, mobile forces of the Eighth Army were repeating the processes

that carried them right along the coast of Libya from Eg\pt into Tripoli, while

American forces from El Guettar area were pushing forward in his wake,

supported by the French.

Yanks Drew Off Armor

Jap Air Fleet

Smashed off

Guadalcanal

Yanks Get 37 of 98 Planes

On First Anniversary Of Bataan

A Japanese air armada of 98 planes attempting to bomb U.S. shipping off

Guadalcanal yesterday—the first anniversary of the fall of Bataan—was

crushed by U.S. fighters in one of the greatest air combats in the

Solomons area.

Thirty-seven aircraft were officially reported destroyed in the battle, the

Navy Department announced.

At the same time, Flying Fortresses struck for the fourth time in seven days

at Jap shipping off Kavieng, New Ireland, heavily bombing an enemy convoy carry-

ing supplies and troops for the hard-pressed defenders of New Guinea.

The U.S. fighters from Guadalcanal blasted 21 Zeros, five dive-bombers and

11 other enemy planes out of the sky for a loss of one Airacobra and six Wildcat

fighters. One U.S. pilot was saved. Including yesterday's toll, the number

of Jap planes shot down over the Solomons is now at 943, the Navy Department

added.

No details of this latest blow to this Jap convoy off Kavieng are y»t available,

jacept that the attack, which the comnuniaque describes as heavy, was directed

against a small convoy.

Seven Warships Sunk

Reds Encircle I

Nazi Garrisons

Around Kuban

Isolate German Posts

In Forward Moves,

Take Prisoners

MOSCOW, Apr. 8 (UP)—Soviet tactics

of encirclement threatened today to isolate German garrisons holding oiu in

strong defensive positions on the Kuban front.

The strength of the German positions is largely oft set by their precarious communications in the water-logged Kuban Delta and the Nazis are lighting strenuously

to defend the narrow strips of ground and roads which emerge above the

water.

Several of the isolated villages in the Delta, which are connected by the strips

of land, have been taken by the Russians in the last few days and Soviet forces are

slowly, but surely, pushing the Germans back towards the sea.

170 'Chutist Alarms, '

All False, in States

WASHINGTON, Apr. 8 (UP)— '

Jittery Americans have reported more than 170 " landings by enemy paratroops

—every one of them false— ; since July, 1942, the FBI reported.

G-men who ran down the reports said they had originated with such

innocent sights as flocks of birds, a boy flying a kite and a man carrying :

a sack of flour on his shoulder.

THIS WAS TODAY; Current Events April 8, 1943: Scoring a major new victory, the British Eighth Army has routed Rommel's forces from the heavily defended Wadi Akarit fortifications north of Gabes in southern Tunisia, and the Axis forces are in full retreat | northward, with Lt. Gen. Bernard Montgomery's men in hot pursuit, Prime Minister Churchill announced yesterday. The Germans increased the intensity of their attacks on the middle and upper Donetz today, apparently in an effort to relieve Russian pressure in the Kuban. The Donetz battle has spread from the area south of Izyum, where the Germans have been throwing in wave after wave of troops for several days, to the neighbourhood of Chuguyev, which has been quiet for some time. The Germans are using increasingly large Panzer forces again, after experimenting with smaller attacks by mixed panzer and infantry units, and are throwing large Luftwaffe formations into the battle. Salamaua, the biggest Japanese base on the northern coast of . New Guinea, was heavily bombed yesterday by Allied aircraft, according to the official communique released today.

THE STARS AND STRIPES

Daily Newspaper of U.S. Armed Forces in the European Theater of Operations

        New York, N.Y.—London, England Thursday, April 8, 1943

Eighth Army Smashes Axis Defenses

Barrage of 500 Guns

Blasts Hole in Line,

Troops Go Through

Americans Advance Against Stiff Resistance

On El Guettar and Maknassy Fronts;

Churchill Tells of Big Victory

Churchill Tells of Big Victory

By the Associated Press

Scoring a major new victory, the British Eighth Army has routed

Rommel's forces from the heavily defended Wadi Akarit fortifications

j north of Gabes in southern Tunisia, and the Axis forces are in full retreat

| northward, with Lt. Gen. Bernard Montgomery's men in hot pursuit, Prime

Minister Churchill announced yesterday.

A frontal assault by British and Indian infantry divisions put the

Germans and Italians to flight, Mr. Churchill told a cheering Commons,

following a massive 500-gun artillery barrage comparable with the El

Alamein attack which started the Axis retreat across North Africa.

Montgomery's carefully prepared attack started at 4.30 AM Tuesday,

and by noon all of Rommel's fortified key positions were in British hands

after the surprised enemy had made futile but ineffective counter-attacks.

So far, Mr. Churchill said, more than 6,000 Axis prisoners have been

taken.

" This frontal assault should enable the Desert Army to join hands with

United States forces, which have been pressing the enemy unceasingly

from the west," he said.

Lt. Gen. George C. Patton's battle-hardened American infantry and

armor were striking vigorously at the Axis from the El Guettar and

Maknassy sectors. Seven miles north of Maknassy American forces captured

Djebel Maizila, on the Sidi-Bouzid road, and at El Guettar American tanks

and infantry were battling for the Kebili road junction under artillery fire.

Germans Hit

Donetz Line

Reds Hold

Kuban Fighting Fierce,

Russians Take Town

After Swamp Fight

MOSCOW, Apr. 7 (UP)— The Germans increased the intensity of

heir attacks on the middle and upper Donetz today, apparently in an effort

to relieve Russian pressure in the Kuban.

The Donetz battle has spread from the area south of Izyum, where the

Germans have been throwing in wave after wave of troops for several days,

to the neighbourhood of Chuguyev, which has been quiet for some time.

The Germans are using increasingly large Panzer forces again, after experimenting

with smaller attacks by mixed panzer and infantry units, and are throwing

large Luftwaffe formations into the battle.

Reds Counter-Attack

The Russians have carried out several successful counter-attacks which have

protected their own defense lines and cost the Germans heavily in casualties and

equipment.

The heaviest air support for the German ground troops has been in the Izyum area,

where a large number of air attacks has been made by the Luftwaffe, according to

Russian dispatches. The Soviet air force as been heavily engaged in fighting off

the German attacks and in hammering at German positions.

German troop concentrations, prepared in the battle, have been broken up, the

Russians claimed.

In one part of the battle zone Soviet planes discovered two battalions of German

infantry massed for an attack and bombed them. During the confusion resulting

from the attack Russian infantry formed the position and took it.

                                                     Kuban Fighting Fierce

PlanesHammer

Big JapSeaport

High U.S. Chiefs Return

To Australia After

Washington Talks

ALLIED HQ, Southwest Pacific, Apr.

7 (UP)—Salamaua, the biggest Japanese base on the northern coast of . New

Guinea, was heavily bombed yesterday by Allied aircraft, according to the official

communique released today.

Warehouses and many supply buildings were demolished in the attack.

At the same time it was announced that Brig. Gen. R. K. Sutherland, chief

of staff to Gen. MacArthur, and Maj. Gen. G. C. Kenney, commander of the

Allied Air Forces in the Southwest Pacific, have returned-to Australia from Washington,

where they have appealed for more materials for their area.

Heavy Bombers Hit Gasmata

Heavy bombers raided the Jap airdrome at Gasmata, New Britain, and bombed

and strafed an enemy coastal town near Montagu harbor. In the Tanimbar

islands a heavy bomber raided the village, the communique said.

Bolivia Declares War

On Germany and Italy

LA PAZ, Bolivia, Apr. 7— Bolivia

entered the war at noon today on the side of the United Nations.

Last night the Council of National defense recommended to President

Penaranda that a state of war declared and the Senate took similar

ation immediately. Bolivia's chief conibution to the Allied cause probably

to be in the form of vitally needed tin, which the country has enormous

sources

   

Burma Fighting Breaks Out

CALCUTTA, Apr. 7 (AP)— The India cmmand today broke a 12-day silence

land activities on the Arakan front to disclose that (he Japs had infiltrated west

across the Mayu river and- that British and Indian troops had been withdrawn

from Donbaik to positions in the (ill,) Apandu area, three miles northwest

India on the Mayu peninsula.