The Ottawa Journal from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • Page 17

FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 26, 1943. Rommel Retreat As Surprising as By BOSS MUNRO. ALLIED FIELD HEAD-QUARTERS. North Africa, Feb.

25: (CP) The Allies are breathing easier in North Africa now with the Axis withdrawing from the as serine Pass, but it is a puzzling game the enemy is playing. This harrow gap with steep. hills rising 4.000 to 5,000 Teet on either side is the key to the southern Tunisian front and the German withdrawal from this ground comes as almost as much a surprise as was the sudden loss the pass last Saturday. The German nave iei Italian troops to fight the rear-jurd action for them as they move back. The enemy seems to have gambled on pushing his initial tank attack far enough west from Kasserine' Gap to enable him to consolidate infantry and.

artillery nositions in the line of hills stretching from the Lepte plains north to Ousseltia valley. Holding these hill positions the enemy might then have withdrawn his armored strength to meet the expected attack by the British 8th Army from the Mareth line area. Now it looks as if the enemy's gamble to gain- the hills and project 'his western flank for the hattle with the 8th Army failed. He is giving up the hill positions. i'OSSlDly uic oin ivimjr auvaui- is more imminent than was real-ized at first and the Germans are being forced to regroup in battle formation on the great plains east of Kasserine to the sea.

It is there that the decisive engagements probably will take place. Nobody here is forgetting the heroic defence British troops have put up before Thala, a defence that prevented a German breakthrough that might have rolled up the southern front and given the Germans everything they were after. Nip and Tuck. I wax in Thala during some of the most critical hours and it was nip and tuck whether the British line would hold, but under strong leadership the British tanks', infantry and artillery showed again their stern qualities of endurance and stuck it out. Several times the sweating, tired Tommies in the line thought themselves they might have to withdraw.

But they gave way a bit only to attack time and again crack German panzer divisions like the 10th and 21st. After their defeat on the Kasserine Pass last Saturday when the rmani hnnnHaH tfim with artil. lory, the Americans' have shown amazing recuperative power. They drew back on the plain west of the gap, snapped back Into battle formations and struck eastward again to take back lost ground. There was a thundering fight on the plan with the Germans throw-ing 40 to 60 of the tanks they had available in this sector.

But the Germans could not crack this American line any more than they could the British line at Thala on the northern flank. Out on the plain the enemy also left himself wide open for air attack and although the weather was. bad. Allied air forces kept hammering at him. On thing the enemy has gained In this drive is American transport equipment.

The Americans were forced to leave a consider-able number of vehicles In the Kasserine pass area when they withdrew and it fell Into German hands. American tank losses in nearly two weeks of fighting were fairly high. The Germans must have taken some hard knocks, however, and their tank losses must have been considerable, although they have been able to recover a number of knocked -out vehicles. The Allied armored strength is still potent and will certainly be a factor on the German flank when the panzers are forced to fight the Sth Army. There has been some activity on the Sbiba front north of the Kasserine pass where Allied patrols are pushing forward and are being shelled.

It was in the Sbiba area where British troops first were rushed more than a week ago to prevent the German breakthrough which. would have split the British and American armies in Tunisia. This speedy and effective defence of the Sbiba plain and the pass at Rohia to the northwest prevented disaster. Now the Allied force is strong on me oDioa ironi ana is a uireci threat to the German armor and other formations crowded around the Kasserine pass, 'Sbeitla and back east towards Fa id. -The Germans' have been more unpredictable in Tunisia than on nearly any other front and the people here and at the front are asking "wonder what their game is now?" Expect New Attacks.

There likely will be attacks somewhere- else within the next few days if the enemy keeps following the general policy the Allies see him as employing. The Germans' principal aims have been to destroy as much Allied armor equipment as possible, draw the Allies out of line and tp.n nimfhlnff hsr than thr without following through. distance just when they seem to have won the day. The Allied North African force has had its roughest two weeks of fighting and the biggest battles of the campaign against practically alp the tanks the enemy could muster In Tunisia. The Germans hauled tanks down from the north and even threw'in- a -trump card the 62-ton Mark VI tiger tanks From Key Pass Recent Loss but they gained little ground considering the force they had to The enemy is still sending a large amount of supplies and troops to Tunisia and any idea that he is going to fold up easily after this Kasserine episode is inconceivable, MRS.

JOHN H. GLAVIN. Mrs. John H. Glavin died Thursday morning at the residence of her daughter, Mrs.

E. V. Wilson; 430 Hamilton avenue, in her. 87th year. Born Eva Eliza Hancock in Potsdam, N.Y., she married John H.

Glavin about SO years ago in Escanaba, Mich. Mr. Glavin died in California in 1929. Previously to coming to Ottawa 12 years ago she had lived in Manitoba for many years. She was a member of Parkdale United Church.

Surviving, In addition to her daughter, are a son, B. E. Glavin, of Winnipeg; and six grandchildren. The body is resting at the parlors of Hulse and Playfair 315 McLeod street, where the funeral will be held in the chapel on Saturday at 2 p.m. Rev.

K. G. McMillan will officiate, and interment will be in Beech wood cemetery. Mm I sfc-: by PHILIP JORDAN With the British 1st Army on the Tunisian Front I am writing these words amid the muck and mire of Tunisia and I can hear the sounds of battle on a range of hills down a valley to the east. But neither nor our guns, nor our men, could be here at all were it not for the great' work that has been done in the factories of North America.

This campaign, more than any other I have seen in this war, -depends on motor transport for its success. The enemy knows this. Daily they try to search our roads with their fighters, shooting up isolated vehicles as well as convoys. Nothing is too small for their attention. We are living in a world without railroads here, a world of twisting mountain roads that rise thousands of feet into the clouds: By, day and night the latter without lights of ahy kind the allied forces move forward along these roads in trucks that you Without them we would be immobile, still far back, some 500 miles, in the neighborhood of Algiers.

As it is, our goals are in sight and from here I can see a bare mountain that rises just this side of Tunis. One of the many splendid things about this allied campaign is the way in which our transport has withstood some of the most difficult conditions I have ever known. "Lame ducks" ft Zi TV GENERAL Vv MOTORS Harrison Gross Is Widely Mourned Many former colleagues on the staff of the Senate, and personal friends, joined with relativesJn paying "their final tribute of' regard for Harrison Gross at his funeral on Thursdayafternoon. Mr. Gross died suddenly on Monday morning at' his home, 43 Woodlawn avenue, and his death was widely mourned, the large attendance at the funeral indicating the esteem in which he was held.

Service was conducted in the home tar Rev. Frank P. Fidler, assisted by Rev. Dr. T.

J. Thompson of Glebe United Church, of which Mr. Gross was a member. Interment was in Pinecrcst cemetery. Chief mourners and surviving relatives were his widow, the former Lillian Carter, of Hopewell Cape, N.B.; two tons.

Dr. Harrison S. Gross, of Winchester, and Capt Richard C. Gross, R.CA.M.C; two daughters. Miss Marion R.

Gross and Mrs. Helen Stewart, both of New York City, and two grandchildren. A profusion of floral tributes were received from many personal friends and included one from the Staff of the Senate. Among those noted at the funeral were Senator James Murr dock; Senatorj W. J.

Harmer; L. C. Moyer, clrk of the Senate; CoL A. H. Anderson, A.

E. Blount, James A. Blotmt, H. P. Goddard, H.

D. Gilmari, S. J. Willoughby, DC? THE OTTAWA JOURNAL IT BERNT BAL-CIIEN, of New York City, Arctic explorer, ij one of eight officers and enlisted men of the U.S. Army who have been awarded the Soldier's Medal for heroism in rescuing flyers forced down In Greenland.

D. J. Halpin, B. P. Lake, A.

H. Brown, E. I Brittain, F. S. James, L.

de Montigny, Rev. John MacKay, W. P. Ralph, Capt George L. Blatch, N.

M. Wood, Robert Brown, Edward Jennings, C. H. Larose, W. -D.

Reid, C. Baker, Arthur CLeary, C. E. Baker, Samuel Hemphill, Lawrence Loucks, George Toye and F. D.

Henderson. Mining copper in Chili, vanadium In Peru, and nickel in are ail being assisted with funds from theU.S. Government. nn WerW-iM4M war emtftiM, tt kmttl with tt Irrfuli tint Amf hmt $utt thk Jitpafth CwmtW Mora Cn Inm "Stmtwkf in are ana this tribute is jnot only to those who are responsible for the maintenance of our vehicles but above all to thcjse who built the trucks in which we move. Last month, I drove a daily averaee of well over 100 miles in 'Chevrolet Without it, impossible to report the war two million readers daily.

Veterans of many never seen such weather and all the side roads, rain, are as bad as any armoured tank sank to turret the muck the after a solid week of comparatively dry weather. A crust forms ver the ground, but it is thin 'and deceptive, and heavy vehicles break through. A few hours bf sunshine are followed by wa Is of rain driven down by gales from the steep mountain side. This is a spot where your General Motors Transports are getting their severest test of the Trucks and more trucks are needed. We hope busy making them.

A nmmrkmUt cUm pithm kf HAJ. Mdl aWafraBW wfc 4nt94 hk mum tnm a ahafew Maa fcafo a Mm wad tn arkkfc waft nUing Axm aircraft. Al might, a-irhaar BgWH, th allM farcw wr as Mpafiat ffoaa tnrcfea, mWwd agalaa? tk ra ifcvnriaf aWk. 1Y 0 Air Force The R.C.A.F. in its 508th casualty list of the war Thursday reported four men killed on active service overseas, and four missing after overseas air operations.

The -overseas section of the list also contained the names. of four men previously reported missing and now for official purposes presumed dead," and one-seriously ill from injuries suffered on active service. One man was reported to have died in Canada and one' to have been seriously injured on active service in' Canada. Following is the latest list of casualties with official numbers and next-of-kin: OVERSEAS. Killed oa Active Service: GREENWAY, Robert' Seldon Earle, Mrs.

R. S. E. Greenway (wife), 1509 Argyle avenue, Montreal. COLLINS, Robert Charles, B.

H. Collins (father), 7466 Champagncur avenue, Montreal. KAHN, Melvin Theodore Kahn (father), 1 Clcn-denan avenue, Toronto. O'NEILL, James Vincent, J. V.

O'Neill (father), 72 Gladstone avenue, Walden, N.Y. Missing After Air MIDDLETON, Omer Kenneth, Fit. Lt W. J. Middleton (father), Revclstoke, B.C.

ANDERSON, William Boyd, W. B. Anderson (father), Craig-myle, Alta. BIRKINSHAW, Leonard Wil- -v. I wcluld have found it for something like fronts say they have anywhere.

Every field after days and days of Irish bog. A big the top of its other day even you re I Casualties liam, Mrs. L. W. Birkinshaw (wife), Rapid City, Man.

MATTISON, Frederick Thomas, Fit. Sgt, Mrs. F. T. Mattison (wife), 304 Albany avenue, Toronto.

Previously Reported Missing, Now for Official Purposes Presumed Dead: DAY, John Francis, J. H. Day 347 Hedley street, Preston, Ont HENRY, Ralph Ballantyne, E. A. Henry (father), Kincardine, Ont MORRISON.

John Graham. Fit Sgt, R. W. Morrison (brother), 3353 58th avenue, S.W. Seattle, Wash.

i POTTLE, Aston James Walter, Sgt, A. R. Pottle (father), 703 Ominica street east. Moose Jaw, Sask. I Seriously III as a Result of Injuries Sustained on Active Service: ALLISON.

William Ritchie, Sgt, Mrs: W. R. Allison (wife), Osgoode, Ont. CANADA. Died STEPHENS, Thomas Concklin, LAC, T.

C. Stephens (father), 99 Cooper road; N.Y. i Seriously Injured on Active Service: -i i BIRCHARD, Allen Chester. C. Birchard (vcife), 185 Laurier avenue, York ton, Sask.

You unit never know what a Journal want ad can do until you try one. Call 7 USawf -'v Hit French Blast Huns On Road, in Cafe IlONDON. Feb. 25. (CP)' Moscow radio said tonight that French patriots recently had killed 13 Germans in' an.

attack on a German motorized column near Lyons and 11 others by throwing a bomb into crowded Paris restaurant in which German officers were dining. The Soviet Monitor recorded the brodacast Kirs. Mary Ann Dewar Dies in 90th Year death of Mrs. Mary Ann Dewar, of 386 Lisgar occurred at her home on Thursday following a brief illness. She ws in her 90th year.

The former Mary Arm Edwards, she was a daughter of the late Colonel Henry Edwards and Mrs. Edwards, pioneer residents of March Township. She was educated at Ayl-mcr. and married the late Duncan E. Dewar in Ottawa in 1877.

H's death occurred in 1920. Mrs. Dewar Was 4 member of Chalmers United Church and for years was active in the Women's Missionary Society and in particular in Circle No. 3. She is survived by two daughters, Mrs.

Arthur G. Scott, of Brantford, and Miss Margaret Dewar, of Ottawa, and by a number of nieces and nephews. jThe funeral service will be conducted on Saturday at 3 p.m. at the residence by Very. Rev.

Dr. J. W. Woodside. Interment will be in Conroy ri iv i i 1 1 1 1 1 1 I I II it Deep Tribute Paid Mrs.

Wm. Gamble Many friends and relatives paid final tribute Thursday afternoon to the memory of Mrs. William Gamble who died Tuesday in her 80th year. The service, was conducted by Dr. W.

W. McNairw at the chapel of Hulse and Play-fair, Ltd. Burial took place in Beechwood cemetery. Chief mourners were six daughters. 'Mrs.

J. A. Rigby, Mrs. Mar-low Perin, of Ottawa; Mrs. Fred Skelton.

BrockviUe; Mrs. Peter. Dunsmorc. Lactone, Que, aad Mrs. Jules Haghenbeek.

of Mar-moncck, N.Y., and one Duncan Gamble, of Ottawa. Thirty-one grandchildren and IS great grandchildren also survive. Among the many floral tributes were those from Canada Bread Ladies' Auxiliary to that Governor General's Foot Guards; and Employes, Canada Bread So, Ltd. War 25 Years Ago Feb. 26.

1918 British hospital ship Glenhart Castle torpedoed and sunk in the Bristol Channel; 162 missing. Canadian troops mad successful raid near Lens. Rumania decided to conclude peac with the Central Powers. ACTOR IS DEAD. New York actor in the '90's.

died in hospital today of injuries re ceived Sunday ragnt wnen ne was) struck by a bus. 1) Tk'a lorry (oaa ut man fraraffao' rar fAraa a'ay aaa mtghH. tknk tnnif territory of timt, (e oof bock fa fa trrhak haac aar faaiag cioca fa capryra. Philip Jordan's direct cabU is aaotktr confirmation of tht staftmint that Canadian-built General Motors war products are serving in every theotrt of war. letters from many fronts, reaching workers in GM plants, further 'convince them that their jobs are vital to victory wherever a tough trowport problem must be solved to support and supply our fighting fortes..