NO REST FOR ROMMEL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 December 1942, Page 4

NO REST FOR ROMMEL

ADVANCE OF THE EIGHTH ARMY FORWARD TROOPS REACH SIRTE AREA. QUICK USE OF DESERT AIRFIELDS. (British Official Wireless.) ( (Received This Day, 12.15 p.m.) RUGBY, December 23. Light armoured patrols in the van of the Eighth Army had by iast night reached the Sirte area, about sixty miles west of Nofiiia, reports a Cairo correspondent. The sparse news reaching Cairo makes it difficult to determine how far the enemy has retreated, but there are grounds for believing that their main force reached the Misu ratci area. The Eighth Army's fast patrols, moving much more quickly than the main striking force, continued yesterday to prod the enemy rearguard near Sirte, while the advance is being continued relentlessly. A correspondent at an advanceci air base says that though the deseii landing grounds are bumpy and muddy, R.A.F. pilots seem to be able to take off and land anywhere. NIGHT. FIGHTERS SUCCESSFUL ACTIVITIES IN NORTH AFRICA. INTERCEPTION OF ENEMY BOMBERS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 12.15 p.m.) RUGBY, December 23. A correspondent at Algiers says R.A.F. night fighters in North Africa have been operating with considerable success during the past few weeks. Beaufighters have once again proved their worth in intercepting enemy bombers on their way to bomb the ports and towns into which Allied troops have been pouring. Encmj air activity at night has been much reduced. CLASHES IN TUNISIA VIGOROUS PATROL ACTIVITY ON BOTH SIDES. • LONDON, December 23. A communique from Allied headquarters in North Africa reports vigorous patrol activity by both sides. The enemy shelled some of the Allied positions. South of Tunis, French troops had a sharp clash with German forces, took prisoners and seized material abandoned by the enemy in their retreat. Further south, French troops are in close contact with the enemy. The Germans report greater activity at several points on the Tunisian front. GALLANT RESCUE NEAR ENEMY AIRFIELD. SQUADRON LEADER PICKS UP COMRADE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 12.15 p.m.) RUGBY, December 23. An unusual act of rescue from the air was achieved when a surprise fqrce of Allied fighters swooped on the enemy landing ground at Hon, 150 miles inland from the Gulf of Sirte, says a Cairo message. One Australian pilot was shot down by ground fire. His squadron commander, Squadron Leader Gibbes, went to the rescue and landed on rough ground nearby. The two men came back together in the same machine, one sitting on top of the other in the tiny fighter cockpit. BRAZILIAN. RUBBER SUPPLY FOR UNITED STATES. (Received This Day, 1.20 p.m.) RIO DE JANEIRO. December 23. Brazil and the United States have signed an agreement under which 50,000 tons of Brazilian rubber will be shipped to the United States next year. Some 100.000 workers will be moved 2,000 miles, from Northern Brazil to the Amazon Valley, to produce rubber. Argentina will not be allowed to purchase any rubber from Brazil.