Evening star., 1942-12-10
Offensive Mapped
In Both Libyo
And Tunisiu

at any moment in both Libya
and Tunisia, under formidable
and ever-groWing air power.
Reports by the Morocco radio that
the Americans and British already
had sprung anew to the attack or
both sides of the Axis narrowing
last foothold on the Mediterranean
African shore apparently were pre-
mature.
Crucial Battle Believed Near.
Advlces from Tunisia, however
indicated the Allies there no longer
were hampered by the pinch for all
support and that the crucial battle
for the last 20 miles. the approaches
to Bizerte and Tunis, might explode
at any moment.
A communique from Allied head
quarters in North Africa said there
was little activity except patrolling
IN the forward areas yesterday be-
cause of rain which has made much
OF the terrain impossible.
Our aircraft bombed a small
enemy column in the southern sec
tor" the communique said.
On the opposite side of Africa
British communique said the 8tf
Army was allowing the enemy nc
rest in the Ell Agheila area"
Strongest Language.
This was the strongest language
used officially since the British
paused before Marshal Erwin Rom.
mels long prepared line, but it re.
ferred, still, only to patrol and artil-
lery activity and British military
sources in London said it did not
mean that the westward offensive
again was under way.
When the 9th Army smashes into
the enemy's Libyan line. these
sources said, its blows will leave no
doubt that 1t has hit in force again
and that might be any day.
In Tunisia the Allies and Ger
mans both were reported probing
cautiously for weak spots and speed
ing preparations for the decisive
battle.
Reports Of Allied air blows. both
destructive offensive smashes and
successful defensive air fighting with
evidently plentiful and well-varied
Warplanes. indicated that air mas
terry was swinging back to the Allies.
Base Situation Improves.
When the British and Americans
closed virtually TO the thresholds
OF Tunls and Bizerte their drive
was handicapped by the lack of
adequate air bases close to the front
Now, however, Associated Press re-
ports tell OF ground commanders
telephoning for air coverage as
casually as calling for a taxi.
Again, British headquarters re-
ported that Allied twin-engined
fghters-probably American P-3s
Lightings-had pounced on an en-
emy air convoy northbound from
Africa and had shot down two Ger
man transport planes near Lampe-
dusa Island, between Sicily and
Tunisia.
A Reuters report said Allied para
chutists had penetrated within 1(
miles of Tunis and carried out a
series of demolitions southwest OF
the Tunisian capital.
Both Axis communicates reported
heavier skirmishing between ar
mored patrols in the Tebourba area
The Italian communique said ar
Allied armored car attack west o1
Tebourba was repulsed and the Ger
man communique said eight Alliec
tanks were set ablaze in another
thrust southwest of the town.
Unfavorable Weather.
Advices from the front last night
said the weather was unfavorablt
for large-scale land or air action anc
1t appeared that for the moment, a
least, the key to the situation lay ir
the hands of the elements.
These advices said the latest oper.
ations were limited to patrol skir.
mishes, marked by tentative Brit
ish and American thrusts at tn,
Axis defenses on the outer ap.
proaches to Bizerte and Tunis.
There was little in these report.
to indicate how the situation wa.
shaping up, but there appeared rea
son to believe that the Allies were
making use of the lull to overcome
the deficiency in air strength from
which they obviously have beer
suffering in the forward areas.
A Reuters dispatch from North
Africa said fresh units of the United
States and British air forces were
arriving constantly at the front tc
support the ground troops.
Hints Sufficient Power.
At the same time, the military
correspondent of the London Daily
Mail declared that the 1st Army
has weathered the crisis" limiting
that Allied air strength would be
sufficient to cope with the Germans
when the battle is renewed in full
fury.
In line with these reports, a de-
layed dispatch from Noland Nor
gard. Associated Press correspond
ent with the United States 18th Air
Force, told of the heroic job being
done by American Army transport
pilots to speed men. fuel, supplies
and equipment to the fighting zone
Mr.. Norgaard quoted Maj. James
L. Lee of Carlton, Mimi, chief OF
the transport command, as saying
the pilots were doing the impos-
sible every day, flying under con.
ditions which would drive airline
pilots back home crazy"
Lee told how one group OF trans
port planes helped move q British
air base 200 miles nearer Tunisi.
overnight, flying ground personnel
gasoline and equipment over terrain
(see AFRICA, Page A-lSO