CONCERTED ACTION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 January 1943, Page 3

CONCERTED ACTION

FIRST AND EIGHTH ARMIES PROBLEMS OF TRANSPORT AND SUPPLY. VALUABLE AERODROMES STILL IN ENEMY HANDS. LONDON, January 28. The Tunisia correspondent of “The Times” says: “Our First and Eighth Armies now find themselves jointly engaged in the same operations. This, for the moment, is likely to be disadvantageous, because the length of our communications remains enormous, even when Tripoli is again operating, whereas the elimination of the long supply line from Tunis and Sousse to Tripoli has greatly eased the German supply problem. “The German forces are more compactly grouped and the strain on the First Army is likely to be severe till the Eighth Army is able to give closer support. The Germans retain the majority of Tunisian aerodromes ana are able at short' notice to transfer fresh squadrons from Sicily.” The big clash seems nearer in Tunisia and there is evidence of a concentration of Allied strength for a final bout with the Axis for the possession of the whole of Worth Africa, says . Reuter’s corespondent in Tunisia. AFTER CASABLANCA ALLIED MILITARY CHIEFS CONFER AT GENERAL EISENHOWER’S HEADQUARTERS.' LONDON, January 28. Allied military leaders have quickly followed up the Casablanca conference with new meetings at General Eisen hower’s headquarters. The three chief generals taking part are the Middle East Commander-in-Chief, General Alexander; the American Chief of Staff, General Marshall; and the Allied Commander-in-Chief * in North Africa, General Eisenhower. The First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, Sir Dudley Pound, and the Chief of the United States Naval Staff, Admiral King, were there to co-ordin-ate naval support for whatever action the armies may take. Others present include Sir John Dill, leader of the British staff mission to the United States; Lord Louis Mountbatten, Chief of Combined Operations; Lieut.-General. Arnold, American Army Air Force commander, and Mr. Averell Harriman, as President Roosevelt’s personal link with the meetings. It is presumed that while the general scheme" of future operations was drawn up in broad outline at Casablanca, the service chiefs are now hammering out the details of the next moves by the Allies.

ENDING DISCORD

IN FRENCH NORTH AFRICA. SPECIFIC SETTLEMENT ANTICIPATED. NEW YORK, January 27. Informed circles expect that a specific settlement of the North African political situation will be announced supplementing the vague communique, says the New York “Herald-Tribune’s” Washington correspondent. The settlement will end discord and ensure military success in eliminating the Axis from North Africa and enable concentrated air attacks to be made against Italy. Observers point out that the large Royal Air Force raids on Berlin occurred 48 hours after the conference began on January 14. Mr Churchill and President Roosevelt no doubt ordered the raids as part of the comprehensive war plans which were then under discussion. The minor referrence to China in their communique is not interpreted to mean that China or the South-west Pacific will play second fiddle, but it is apparent that blows against Germany will come first while a holding action is fought against Japan.