ALLIED PREPARATIONS WELL ADVANCED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 November 1942, Page 3

ALLIED PREPARATIONS WELL ADVANCED

French Garrisons Resisting Axis Forces EIGHTH ARMY DRIVING DEEP INTO LIBYA ROMMEL’S REMNANTS WITHDRAWING IN A HURRY LONDON, November 15. In North Africa the British First Army, under General Anderson, is prepared to advance into Tunisia. Reconnaissance parties are already across the border seeking 1 the best routes for the army through the mountain passes. Radio Morocco, which is now under Allied control, announces that Admiral Darlan has appointed General Giraud to be Commander-in-Chief of the French forces in North Africa. The Allied Commander-in-Chief in North Africa, General Eisenhower, reports that General Alexander is meeting with no opposition from the French and as a matter of fact is getting a considerable amount of help from them. General Eisenhower also stated that Axis troops were meeting with a considerable amount of resistance from French garrisons, which in some instances had fired on Axis aircraft. Allied planes have raided the Tunis aerodrome for the fifth time. Air attacks have also been made on the enemy in Sicily, and over the sea, between Sicily and Tunisia. Yesterday Seven enemy planes were destroyed in the Sicilian narrows, making at least 20 enemy aircraft destroyed in this area during the last few days. z German bombers attacked the Algerian ports of Bougie and Bona, occupied by the Allies. Eleven enemy aircraft were destroyed on Saturday by R.A.F. fighters. The German attacks were continued yesterday, when our fighters shot down four more enemy bombers. IT IS ANNOUNCED IN LONDON THAT AT LEAST 13 U-BOATS ATTEMPTING TO ATTACK ALLIED TRANSPORTS OFF THE NORTH AFRICAN COAST HAVE BEEN DESTROYED, FIVE OF THEM WITHIN THE LAST FEW DAYS. Field dispatches indicate that French garrisons in Tunisia are fighting the Germans at Tunis, Bizerta, and other parts of the country. The Germans control the airfield outside Tunis and are desperately trying to increase their forces by sea. Allied airmen returning from reconnaissance flights over Tunisia report that firing is going on jn the city of Tunis, and it is presumed' that the German air-borne forces are receiving a hostile reception, as the firing is not directed at the Allied planes. A report received by the 8.8. C. from “a usually well-, informed source” states that General Weygand has been arrested by the Germans. There is no confirmation of this news meantime from any other quarter. THE ADVANCE INTO LIBYA In its advance from Egypt into Libya, the British Eighth Army has covered a distance of 450 miles in a little over a fortnight. The total of enemy casualties and prisoners is given meantime as 75,000. Still in close pursuit of what is left of Rommel’s army, the Eighth Army has reached a point west of Tobruk from which a cross-country route runs to Benghazi, Rommel’s principal sea base in Cyrenaica. The Germans, under continued air attacks, are reported to be burning stores at Derna and to be preparing to withdraw from Cirene, still further west along the coast.