The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-11-17

Moroccan dispatches reported that 6l Axis planes had been de- stroyed in the air or aground in savage aerial combat along the coast.
 Allied planes including long range fighters from Malta destroyed 42 of the enemy planes in dog fights and l9 aground on Axis held fields in TlniSia, it was asserted.
 Cairo reports said the German air force in Libya had been almost wiped out by the Allied planes mov- ing up wit British eighth army.
 The eighth army yesterday, by occupying the Axis base of Denna on the Libyan coast and the road junction of Mekili. 45 miles in- land, brought its main force to with in $50 miles of Tupisia.
 Fantastic Claims
 Axis radio continued to broadcast fantastic claims of the sinking of 89 Allied ships off Africa. These claims were described as vastly exagger- ated even beyond the usual Ger man naval claims"
 Berlin broadcast the assertion that London newspapers were pub fishing reports of transport sink ! ingS which American correspond entS were not permitted to relay to the United States. These assertions likewise were totally untrue.
 Radio Vichy described the Afri- can situation as most confused. It said violent air fighting had been in progress for two days over the \ TuniS airdrome.
 Radio Rabat. Morocco. announced that Robert Murphy. United States consul general at Algiers, had been appointed special supply adviser to Allied headquarters.
 The German Paris radio prompt ly extending German anti-Jewish ! propaganda to cover the African theater. said Lieut.. Gen. Dwight D. | Eisenhower. the Allied commander in chief. had received a Jewish deputation when he visited Algiers last weekend and that anti Jewish laws of the Vichy regime in North Africa would be repealed soon.
 LulI in Comment
 There was a lull here in comment on the French political situation in Africa. after the Fighting French statement yesterday repudiating Admiral Jean Francois Darlan whom the Allies recognized as temporary head of the French North African ! administration.
 ! British sources said that it was the Allied duty to take what action was necessary now to make the con- quest of North Africa as smooth as possible, and leave political talk for the future.
 Thought reports up to today that the big fight had started in Tunisia had proved premature, 1t was evi- dent that the Allies were ready to start their grand drive at a mo- ment's notice.
 A CBS broadcast from Algiers reported that American transport planes, protected by American fighters. had landed a strong Brit iSh paratroop force in Tunisia yes- terday to seize key points in prep aration for a general advance).
 Dispatches direct from the gem eral headquarters of Lieut.. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, commander in chief. filed yesterday afternoon. said specifically that reports Of fighting outside Bizerts were untrue and said also that radio Morocco. a .k.taH Af mT GAkNAMaF was still French controlled and French censored. and could not be accepted as representing the Allied command.
 It was confirmed that advance units of AndersOn's first army were thrusting into TuniSia from the Al- Rerian frontier where the main British American force was massed ready for a grand scale advance.