OFFICIAL REPORT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 January 1943, Page 3

OFFICIAL REPORT

ON LAND AND SEA OPERATIONS RAPID APPROACH MADE TO TRIPOLI. MUCH DAMAGE IN BOMBING RAIDS. (British Official AVireless.) (Received This Day, 9.35 a.m.) RUGBY, January 19. A Middle East joint communique states: “Our advance continued yesterday. In the northern sector our troops have reached the Zliten area, having passed through Misurata and Garibaldi. “In the southern sector our forces, having driven the enemy from Beni. Ulid, inflicting tank losses, were in contact with the enemy towards Tahuma, 40 miles south-east of Tripoli. “Allied fighter bombers continued to harass the withdrawing enemy. Castel Benito, the most important enemy airbase in Tripolitania, was heavily attacked on Sunday night and more than thirty fires broke out among the dispersed aircraft. During the same night Allied fighters shot up an important road junction 40 miles southeast of Tripoli. Large fires were reported. Explosions and large fires resulted from a bombing raid on Tripoli and enemy vehicles between Sfax and Gabes were also attacked. A force of heavy bombers resumed attacks on Tripoli in daylight yesterday and fires in the harbour area were started. Fighter-bombers were active over Lampedusa Island and on targets in southern Sicily. We had no losses during the above operations.”