NAVAL BATTLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 November 1942, Page 4

NAVAL BATTLE

OFF NORTH AFRICAN COAST ! BETWEEN ALLIED AND AXIS FORCES. REPORTED BY PARIS RADIO. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.15 a.m.) LONDON, November 16. The Paris radio reports that a naval battle is occurring between an Italian squadron, supported by a German squadron, and British and American naval squadrons, off the North African coast. ENEMY ENGAGED LAND FIGHTING IN TUNISIA. BIG ALLIED CONVOY ARRIVES SAFELY. (Received This Day, 11.15 a.m.) LONDON, November 16. “British and American troops are engaging the Germans near Tunis and another unspecified place in Tunisia,” says the New York radio. Another big convoy has arrived in Algiers from Britain. Although it had a six figure tonnage, not a single soldier was lost. The Morocco radio says Hitler has or- 1 dered the German forces in Tunisia to hold on at any cost. An Italian communique states that Italians and Germans have landed in Tunis, and adds: “With the consent of the French we are completing troop movements in Corsica and the South of France.” The French fleet in Toulon is awaiting battle orders, reports the Paris radio. The Governor of Toulon has banned entry into the port by any nonresidents. Observers in London say German troops are now in a position to prevent French warships at Toulon going to sea, but whether Hitler will be able to make use of the fleet, which is reliably reported to be far from in fighting trim, is very doubtful. British and American naval power in the Western Mediterranean is formidable, especially against a fleet whose loyalties are divided.

ROMMEL’S FLIGHT

COMPLETE EVACUATION OF CYRENAICA. ONLY APPARENT COURSE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.45 a.m.) RUGBY, November 16. _ From the slightness'of enemy air activity over the Western Desert yesterday—during the afternoon Allied fighters met no enemy aircraft at all —it seemed highly probable that the Luftwaffe, except for a few small elements, had been cleared out of Cyrenaica altogether and that the occupation of the whole area- is now only a matter of getting there, on the ground that the whole position must shortly become completely untenable if it has not become so already. Our armoured forces are swarming round where they choose and mopping up everything left. As highly confused situation can only be met by Rommel in one way; a complete evacuation into Tripolitama.

VAIN ENEMY EFFORTS TO DELAY PURSUIT. OVERCOME BY EIGHTH ARMY. (Received This Day, 12.50 p.m.) LONDON, November 16. The Eighth Army is now approaching the Jebel El Akhder region, 50 miles beyond Derna. Long-range fighters are operating from the newlywon Martuba air base and are strafing the dwindling Afrika Korps as far as El Agheila. Martuba is the centre of Libya’s group of airfields. The “Exchange Telegraph” agency s correspondent with the Eighth Army says: “Our pursuit rolls on. There is the same story day after day, of roadblocks, torn out by German, dynamite, sometimes of the dimensions of a landslide, as at Solium and Halfaya Pass, where whole sides of a mountain were torn down. Bridges over the wadis have been destroyed and thousands of mines have been scattered in the sands and -along the margins of the road, with sharp-pointed nails thrown on the innocent-looking surface of the road, but despite all difficulties and the strain on vehicles and drivers the great army is rolling steadily forwards, with our armoured forces making direct contact with the fleeing enemy.” , , , ~ The Berlin radio stated that the British Army’s pressure in Libya is increasing. They are taking advantage of the numerous roads and rocky ground to bring up heavy weapons and push, with growing strength, against the ranks of the German rearguards,” the enemy radio adds.

ELUSIVE ROMMEL

NOW SAID TO BE IN MUNICH.

(Received This Day, 12.50 p.m.)

LONDON. November 16

Reuter’s correspondent on the German frontier says it is authentically reported that Rommel is in Munich, completing important discussions with Hitler, Himmler and others.

LUFTWAFFE IN SICILY

PROSPECT OF GREAT AIR BATTLES. ■ WELCOMED IN LONDON. (Special P.A. Correspondent.) (Received This Day, 10.50 a.m.) LONDON, November 16. The Luftwaffe is believed to be making Sicily its Mediterranean headquarters and the possibility of great air battles over the narrows is welcomed in London, if for no other reason than that Allied aircraft production exceeds that of Germany, and the more we can make the Luftwaffe fight and expend itself the greater will the advantage to the Allies become. Germany and Italy are estimated to be building 3,000 aircraft a month, of which some 1,800 are operational types. Since the beginning of October they have produced about 2,700, of which 1,200 are available for service, but during the same period, over all fronts, the Luftwaffe lost 1,400 operational planes.