RETREATING AXIS FORCES IN LIBYA.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 November 1942, Page 3

RETREATING AXIS FORCES IN LIBYA.

British Column Fifty Miles South of Benghazi POWERFUL ALLIED AIR ATTACKS IN MANY AREAS ADVANCE INTO TUNISIA CONTINUES LONDON, November 19. In Libya advanced droops of the Eighth Army are in contact with the enemy some 50 miles south of Benghazi. Apparently a column advancing by the overland route from Tmimi struck south at Msus, instead of taking the more northerly track leading straight to Benghazi. It is believed in London that this action is an indication of a determination if possible to cut off some of the enemy forces retiring along the coastal route before they can reach El Agheila, where they are expected to make a stand. A correspondent says that the news does not mean that the coastal road south of Benghazi has been cut. There are indications that the enemy is still doing his utmost to cover the coastal road. Last night United States aircraft were still attacking shipping, docks and other installations at Benghazi. The aircraft found fires already burning in the town, possibly indicating demolitions by the enemy. Two ships were reported to be burning at the harbour entrance. Enemy transport vehicles were attacked on the road south of Benghazi. Correspondents report seeing an amazing quantity of Axis wreckage on the road between Gazala and Derna, evidence of the great Royal Air Force offensive. “It is like a great junkheap, an enormous dust-bin stretching for miles,” says one correspondent. The airfield outside Derna is a cemetery of German bombers, fighters, transport planes, and gliders. In one pile of wreckage was anything up to 100 planes. Heavy air attacks on enemy transport are being continued. In the Benghazi region seven enemy transport planes were shot down, three more destroyed on the ground and another 20 damaged. ENEMY TANKER TORPEDOED Naval aircraft pressed home their attack on an 8,000-ton enemy tanker. In spite of heavy anti-aircraft fire the aircraft attacked almost from deck level and placed two torpedoes into the tanker amidships. She was left heeling over and in flames. The advance of General Anderson’s First Army into Tunisia is described as a fluid movement extending from the coastal region far to the south. There is no explicit addition at present to earlier reports that advanced elements of General Anderson s force had penetrated deeply into Tunisia. The R.A.F. is helping to blast a way for the land forces and Middle East bombers are heavily attacking the enemy from the other side of Tunisia. Aircraft from Malta heavily attacked the enemy-occupied aerodrome at Tunisia and left a number of hangars and other buildings burning. Allied paratroops, acting now as ground forces, are reported to have occupied several strategic places. The British paratroops are said to have captured a vitally important aerodrome.