FRANTIC EFFORTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 November 1942, Page 4

FRANTIC EFFORTS

TO MOVE ARMOURED FORCES FROM TRIPOLI TO TUNIS. AXIS PROBABLY TOO LATE. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) LONDON, November 29. With the occupation of Djedida, a read and rail junction about 12 miles west of Tunis, the Allies have severed the rail link between Tunis and Bizerta. The Exchange Telegraph Agency’s correspondent In Ncrth Africa reports that the Axis is frantically making an effort to . bring up armoured columns from Tripoli, but that it is unlikely they would arrive in time to stiffen the armoured forces at present at Bizera and Tunis. The Germans are endeavouring by air attacks to hold up cur advance, with only moderate results.

LOSS OF PLANES

BALANCE MUCH AGAINST ENEMY. CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE DONE AT BIZERTA. ' (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.10 a.m.) RUGBY, November 29. The Allied Force Headquarters states: “Allied forces have occupied Djedida. Operations in the vicinity of Madeur are proceeding satisfactorily. Allied aircraft yesterday bombed the aerodrome and docks at Bizerta, inflicting considerable damage. Indications are" that ten enemy planes were destroyed against the loss of two of ours during this operation. The enemy yesterday made two attacks on Bona, one by a flight of eight German planes, of which three were destroyed by our fighters. The other was made by eight Italian planes. One of our fighters destroyed one.”

ALLIED COMMANDERS

AIR JOURNEY TO ATTEND CONFERENCE. IN NORTH-WEST AFRICA. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) RUGBY, November 29. Major-General Brereton, Commanding the United States Air Forces in the Middle East, on his return from a flight with Air Chief Marshal Tedder over enemy territory to confer with the Allied commanders in North-West Africa, described the meeting as very satisfactory. This was the first direct' communication between the two forces converging to drive the Axis from Africa. The flight was made in a Flying Fortress. Those accompanying the two air chiefs included several senior British and American officers. Others present at the conference were Admiral Cunningham, Lieutenant-General Clark and Major-General Doolittle. The conference lasted for two days.

INTENSE ACTIVITY

IN PREPARATION FOR ALLIED ONSET. SUPPLIES BEING CARRIED BY AIR. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) RUGBY, November 29. A correspondent at an advanced base of the Allied forces in North Africa describes the base as a hive of activity, in preparation for a clash between tanks. Allied patrols have been holding a commanding position, and the roads to Tunis and Bizerta have been given an air umbrella by Spitfires, also operating from advanced bases. Tanks, armoured cars and artillery have been placed in positions for attack. The Germans are trying by air attacks to hold up the Allied advance, but still with only moderate results. Up to the present only infantry and light artillery have been in contact with enemy tanks. They are inflicting losses which the Germans can ill afford. The Allies are using transport planes to supply their troops and air forces ■from the main base. Since the advance began, planes'have carried hundreds of tons of ammunition to advanced elements. Supplies of petrol and anti-air-craft guns are carried by air from bases, thus saving time and motor transport. Commanders are running out supplies in a matter of a few hours instead of days.

EFFECTIVE ATTACKS

ON ENEMY AIRCRAFT & BASES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) RUGBY, November 29. A Cairo communique states: “On the night of November 27, our medium bombers attacked and dispersed aircraft at “Marble Arch” forty miles west of El Aghelia. A large fire was started. A twin-engined fighter shot down tw'o S 79s and one C.R. 42 over the sea between North Africa and Sicily yesterday. In addition an attack on grounded transport aircraft was made at El Outin, in Tripolitania, where a dump was fired and aircraft were destroyed. Airfields in Sicily were also attacked -by fighter-bombers. From these and other operations two of our aircraft are missing.”

NORTH AFRICAN CONVOY

TRICK THAT SERVED ALLIES WELL. NAZIS THOUGHT SHIPS WERE GOING TO MALTA. (Received This Day, 10.15 a.m.) NEW YORK, November 29. The •‘Christian Science Monitor’s” correspondent in Africa says it can now be disclosed that the Allies devised a simple trick to make the Nazis believe their convoy was going to Malta instead of to Algiers. They arranged the movement of the Algiers-bound convey so that it steamed past Algiers eastward, in full daylight on November 8, under the eyes of German reconnaissance planes. The , ruse worked and the Nazis rushed j fighter-bomber squadrons to Sicily, i whence they intended to obliterate the j latest assumed reinforcement for Malta, . but after nightfall the Allied convpy 1 doubled back and steamed to Algiers. The trick cost the Nazis a valuable ( fortnight before they could establish . adequate air forces and ground equip- . ment at Bizerta and Tunis.

ENEMY ACCOUNT

OF GENERAL MONTGOMERY’S DISPOSITIONS. (Received This Day, 10.15 a.m.) LONDON, November 29. The Berlin radio says the Seventh British Tank Division, which temporarily made fighting contact with Rommel’s covering forces is again quiet. The New Zealand Infantry Division is gradually closing its ranks on the Agedabia area. Behind it another British tank division is slowly moving up. Between them and two infantry divisions in Central Cyrenaica there is a distance of at least 125 miles. Five other Eighth Army divisions are still between Mersa Matruh and Tobruk. Between Derna and Benghazi the road is covered with thousands of supply vehicles. It is concluded from this that General Montgomery is establishing large supply and ammunition dumps immediately behind his advance forces before bringing up his main army.