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Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 December 1942, Page 3

CLOSE PURSUIT

OF RETREATING AXIS FORCES IN TRIPOLITANIA Heavy Losses Inflicted and Prisoners Being Brought In — —. t ENEMY WITHDRAWAL ENFORCED BY SMASHING AIR ATTACKS LAND FIGHTING IN TUNISIA STILL ON SMALL SCALE LONDON, December 14. The mobile columns of the British Eighth Army are in full pursuit of the Axis forces beating’ a hasty retreat along' the road towards Tripoli. It is not yet known how far the enemy forces have already retreated to the west of El Agheila. The fact that the British aircraft have been bombing west of El Agheila makes it clear that the Axis have abandoned the whole of their defence positions in the El Agheila area. British light tanks, armoured cars and mobile infantry are pressing forward in an area never before penetrated by British troops in any earlier Libyan campaign. THE LATEST MESSAGES STATE THAT THE BRITISH MOBILE COLUMNS ARE KEEPING IN CONTACT WITH THE ENEMY. THE AIR FORCE IS CONSTANTLY HAMMERING ENEMY TROOPS, TRANSPORTS, GUNS AND TANKS POURING INTO TRIPOLITANIA. AXIS PRISONERS ARE ALREADY COMING IN. It is now more than 36 hours since the enemy began a fullscale retreat. The operation which led up to this climax began, however, nine days ago when the Allied air forces let loose a strong offensive and strafed the enemy landing grounds at Marble Arch, 40 miles west of El Agheila, putting them out of commission. Another landing ground further to the west was then attacked and the enemy was left without air cover.. The R.A.F. then started a large scale attack on the ' Axis defence positions. At the same time the Eighth Army probed deeper and deeper into the enemy’s positions while Allied troops at the south end of the line began an outflankiiig movement and rendered the enemy’s positions untenable. The enemy was forced to pull out all his infantry, tanks, guns, etc., without offering any serious opposition. Fighter-bombers have, been giving the Axis forces a terrific hammering. Yesterday they blasted wide gaps in the enemy columns until night fell. Before breakfast time yesterday columns of smoke were already rising from burning enemy lorries which had been bombed and machine-gunned along the Tripoli Road. This work of destruction went on hour by hour without respite. During the day, fighter-bombers broke all records in the Libyan campaign, carrying out just under 300 sorties. Today aircraft are still pounding the enemy’s lines of retreat. Land fighting in Tunisia is still on a small scale. A communique from Allied Headquarters states that Allied forces yesterday shelled and broke up a small enemy motor convoy 40 miles west of Tunis. On other parts of the battle area action was limited to patrols. Allied heavy bombers attacked the docks at Bizerta and Tunis yesterday. Medium bombers attacked the harbour at Sousse and targets near Sfax. Five enemy bombers were destroyed on Saturday night. Three Allied planes are missing.