REPORTED IN NORTH AFRICA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 December 1942, Page 3

REPORTED IN NORTH AFRICA

Both Sides Bringing Up Suplies in Tunisia IN PREPARATION FOR COMING BATTLE ROMMEL STILL RETREATING RAPIDLY LONDON, December 22. There is not much land fighting at either end of the North African front. • , ■ The advance towards Tripoli goes on, with Rommel s forces still retreating. There is not much contact between the two forces except where the British forward patrols come up with the enemy’s rearguard and push it westwards. . The advanced British forces are now reported to be in the Sirte region, 160 miles west of El Agheila. - . . , In the air things have livened up. British fighters suddenly appeared over one of the enemy’s airfields. inland in Tripolitania, 150 miles south of Sirte. Eleven Axis aircraft were on the ground when the British fighters roared out of the blue. Seven were wrecked and the other four were damaged. 'Middle. East bombers again took a hand in Tunisia on Sunday night. Large fires were started at Tunis and La Goulette as the result of the attack. Referring to the land campaign in Tunisia, correspondents say that both sides are bringing up supplies for the clash which is bound to come soon. . Commandos have returned from a raid in which they penetrated to within a few miles of Bizerta. Allied patrols have brought in some German prisoners in. the last few days. These men say they were in Russia not so long ago and that they volunteered for service in Libya in the hope of escaping the Russian winter. Then they found themselves in Tunisia.' . A correspondent cabling from Cairo yesterday said that the New Zealand fast columns, operating with the British armoured forces, continue to chase Rommel s troops across Tripolitania. ;,