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Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 January 1943, Page 3

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EIGHTH ARMY PRESSING . ON CONTINUOUS AIR ATTACKS. ON ENEMY TRANSPORT & BASES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.30 a.m.) RUGBY, January 18. A Middle East joint communique states: “Yesterday our advance continued and our troops, having occupied the Sedada-Bir Tala area, followed up the enemy retreating to the north-west. By the evening our forces were in contact with the enemy in the Tauoraga-Bir Dufan-Beni Ulid area, approximately 80 miles northwest of the Buerat position. In the course of these operations we took prisoners. “The Allied air forces have pressed home a continuous offensive over the battle area. Our fighter-bombers and fighters found many good targets on enemy transport withdrawing west, and considerable damage was inflicted. On the previous night our bombers, operating in force, attacked concentrations and retreating columns on the coastal road between Zemzem and Misurata. On the same night Tripoli was bombed and fires were started. Intruders, operating against vehicles on the Sfax-Tripoli road, caused considerable damage. “Enemy activity over Tobruk resulted in four out of six bombers being shot down. Three were destroyed by night fighters and one by ground fire. Yesterday Tripoli was again bombed. Two enemy vessels were successfully attacked off Eastern Tunisia. An aerodrome on Lampedusa Island was also attacked. “From the above extensive operations five of our aircraft are missing.” AIR OPERATIONS ONLY REPORTED IN TUNISIA: DESTRUCTION OF ENEMY PLANES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.10 a.m.) RUGBY, January 18. An Allied North Africa communique reports: “There was no change in positions on the various fronts yesterday. Railway installations between Medjez el Bab and Tebourba were attacked and damaged by Hurricane fighterbombers. Enemy communications were attacked by Kittyhawk and Lightnings. Two enemy planes which attempted to attack an Allied base were shot down by anti-aircraft fire. All the Allied planes returned. It is announced that, three additional enemy bombers were shot down on Friday.” GOVERNOR OF ALGERIA POST FOR M. PEYROUTEN. RECENTLY AMBASSADOR TO ARGENTINE. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, January 18. i M. Marcel Peyrouten, former Governor of French Morocco, and latterly Ambassador to the Argentine and Minister accredited. to Paraguay, has arrived from South America to take up the governorship of Algeria, says a British United correspondent at Allied headquarters. This, under the new regime nlanned in North Africa, is tantamount to M. Peyrouten being civil administrator throughout North Africa.