Evening star., 1942-11-26
Allied Air Assaults
Rise in Power
As Prelude

report CndJ Cne granQ OIIenSlVe
against Tunisian strongholds of
the Axis was imminent today.
United States Army P-38 fighters
were officially credited with destruc-
ton of IA German and Italian
planes and tank in forays Tues
day and, although four were dam
aged by enemy guns and one pilot
was wounded, all returned safely.
Royal Air Force bompers concen-
trated both Monday and Tuesday
night against Bizerte, starting
explosions and flames on an airfield,
docks and shipping Of the Axis-held
French naval base, an Allied COM
munique announced.
Meanwhile, British military
sources at Cairo said Marshal Erwin
Rommel evidently Is preparing for
a stand at Ell Agheila and Gen. Sir
Bernard L. Montgomery is gathering
his strength for a smashing assault
on the Germans position in the
narrow coastal plains there.
This, they said, is the meaning of
the comparative lull in Libya where,
the Cairo communique reported for
the second successive day, merely
that the British were in contact
with the enemy between Ell Agheila
and Agedabia. so miles to the north
east while Allied airforces blasted
anew at Tripoli and Sicily.
Tripoli Again Attacked.
"Tripoli was again attacked by
our heavy bombers on the night of
November 24-25 and hits were
scored on targets near the Spanish
MOLE" said a communique by the
Raj and the Middle East command.
A large merchant vessel, south
bound toward Sicily, was reported
left stationary and down at the
stern after successful attack by
torpedo-carrying aircraft.
Yesterday our fighter-bombers
raided the Celia airf1eld in Sicily
and bombs were seen to hit buildings
and shelters" the communique said.
TN an attack on enemy shipping
OF Misrata, Tripolitania. direct
hit was scored on merchant ves-
sell"
The Algiers radio reported that
for the first time British reinforce
ment had been brought up to the
Tunisian front by air.
1t said they were technical troops
flown from Algiers to height which
was considered key position.
Nazi Moves Reported.
Amid these preliminaries of the
battle for control Of Tunisia and the
Mediterranean narrows, a Madrid
dispatch to the London Daily Mail
said the Germans were "piling up
fighters and bombers in great num-
bers in the Bizerte- -Tunis zone.
Tanks and motorized units also are
being poured in, the Vichy radio
reported.
The Vichy radio said Axis rein
forcements included armored divi-
sions which are being used to link
up the various strongholds estab-
lished all over Tunisia."
5, The same station in later broad
cast added that "Anglo-American
advance units on the Algerian
Tunisian border again have been
thrown back No details were
given of this unconfirmed report.
The German intention to sacrifice
Tripoli If necessary and concen-
trate all available strength on hold
ing the Tunisian peninsula is "be-
coming daily more evident" the
Madrid dispatch said.
Germans Thrown Back.
The Morocco radio said the
ground assault on Tunis and Bizerte
was about to be launched by the
legion Of 1t. Gen. K. A. N. Ander-
son, made up of the British 1st
Army, an American force headed
by Maj. Gen. George s. Patton, jr.,
and supporting French regiments.
A German column was declared
thrown back in fighting % miles
south of Tunis, the capital.
Equipment of Gen. Patton's de-
tachments, made up largely of spe-
cialists, includes heavily armored
tank destroyers on caterpillar
treads. Each mounts both 105-
millimeter anti-tank gun and an
anti-aircraft gun.
Few details of the ground opera
tions were disclosed at Allied head
quarters, but the communique said
the British 1st Army "is making
satisfactory progress against the
enemy in eastern forward areas"
A laconic bulletin likewise was
issued by French headquarters.
Our troops are effectively ac-
complishing their task, side by side
with Allied troops" 1t said.
Axis Infiltration Claimed.
A Berlin radio broadcast quoted
German military circles as saying
there were minor but bitterly con-
tested engagements for possession of
railroad functions and mountain
positions" and that Nazi and Fascist
troops inf1ltrated deeper into the
interior.
The Tuesday bag by P-38 raiders
was repoted to include seven Italian
troop transport planes shot down
over Gabes, on the Mediterranean
200 miles south of. Tunis; four
transport planes, a seaplane and a
tank destroyed on the Gabes air.
field and two Junkers 88s, twin
motored bombers, destroyed "else-
where In Southern Tunisia.'
Admiral Jean Darlan, civil ad-
ministrator in French North Africa,
under an arrangement With 1t. Gen,
Dwight D. Eisenhower which rresi.
dent Roosevelt termed . temporary
expedient. was reported easef 70
sond : military mission to London
ara 4vEa1hingtoo.