Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-29
Axis Casualties
Called Severe in
African Fighting
P-38s Destroy n
Nuzi Trucks in
Strofing Attacks
BULLETIN.

ono contingent OF American
troops had just landed at Da-
kar, French West Africa, and
had occupied the airdrome
there.
This was a development of
French West Africa's decision
to throw in her lot with the
Allied cause. One contingent
of American technicians and
an Army-Naval mission head
ed by Vice Admiral William
Glassford, jr., arrived at Da-
kar last week.
BY q e Associated Press
LONDON, Dec. 29.-United
States troops were reported to-
day to have withdrawn from the
hill position 6 miles northeast Of
Medjez-El-Bab which they won
in fierce fighting Christmas day.
Communicates from the United
States War Department and Allied
headquarters in North Africa said
the withdrawal was made after in
f1icting severe casualties on the
enemy"
German broadcasts said NaN
troops had captured the height. and
reported an upsurge of fighting
along the front to the south. One
broadcast said an American attack
in Central Tunisia west of Kairouan
had been repulsed and another re-
ported that United States troops
had entered Gafsa, some 200 miles
below Tunis, on the road to Sfax.
Nazi Column Strafed.
P-38 Lockheed Lightnings struck
across the breadth of Tunisia in a
straflng attack on German truck
columns moving men, gasoline and
equipment along the road between
Tripoli and Medenine, so miles
southeast of the port of Gabes.
Allied headquarters in North
Africa said they destroyed 81 Ger
man trucks.
The War Department commu-
nique reported at least II other
enemy vehicles DESTROYED in attacks
by the Lightnings and Curtiss P-40
fighters. Only one of the fighters
was lost.
Spitfires also were said to have
shot down Messerschmitt 100 and
two Junkers 88s out of a forma-
ton of IL planes, with a loss of
only one Spitfire.
Two or three enemy fighters at
tempting to attack one of our air.
fields were shot down." the COM
munique declared, land an enemy
bomber was also destroyed, all by
P-38s.'
Flying Fortresses smashed anew at
the docks and harbor of Sousse yes
terday without loss.
The communique said that "our
patrols in the northern area were in
contact with the enemy during the
night of December 27-28."
1t added that both sides yester-
day briefly shelled the others posi-
tons Two German tanks were
reported destroyed by artillery fire.
Enemy light units attacked one
OF our positions north of Mediez- Ell
Bah without success" the War De-
partment communique said.
British submarines have sunk at
least two more Axis supply ships in
the Mediterranean and have prob
ably destroyed two others, the Adj
mlralty announced today.
Three of the enemy ships were
hit in the Gulf of Hammamet, on
the east coast of Tunisia. A COM
munlque said small supply ship
loaded with gasoline and another
cargo ship were sunk and a tanker
was torpedoed and beached.
Tunis Bombed by Raj.
Another British submarine, strik-
ing along the Italian home coast
near Naples. was reported to have
attacked and probably sunk a me-
diminished, laden enemy supply
vessel
Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, and
nearby La Goulette we're bombed
by Raj planes the night of Deem
peI Li-Zo, CAIRO COmmunlque said
today, and fires we're started near
railroad yard.
There was nothing to report yes
terday, the communique said of the
British troops in contact with Field
Marshal Erwin Rommel's men in the
Wadi Bel Ell Chebir area, 1870 miles
from Triopli. and there was only
slight air activity over the battle
area.
The Italian command reported
that Axis forces had dispersed Allied
armored units in local action in
Tunisia and that eight Allied planes
had been shot down in aerial fight
ing over North Africa. 1t said
tSee AFRICA, Page Ok.
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