Evening star., 1942-12-12
RommeI May Not
Make His Stand
At EI AgheiIo
By the Associated Press.


LONDON, Dec. 12.-Confront-
ed with a steadily reinforced
Axis army of $4,000, the Allies
faced hard and bloody struggle
today in the battle for Tunisia,
but the first cautious probing of
the enemy's newly established
line at Ell Agheila in Libya
raised the possibility that Mar
shall Erwin Rommel may not
make a stand there.
The Germans and italians were
pouring air-borne reinforcements
into Tunisia to bolster forces already
holding the advantage of occupying
a fortified, compact area and
dispatches from that North African
front showed plainly that the Allies
were in for bitter struggle to win
Tunis and Bizerte.
Offsetting the Axis advantage
somewhat was the growing Allied
air might in Tunisia and the entire
Mediterranean area. as emphasized
by the one-two punches yesterday
in new and devastating raids by
American bombers on Naples and
by another attack of home based
British bombers last night on Turin.
No Interference in Libya.
The Tunisian picture was balanced
too by the British Middle East an
nouncement today that in the re-
lated battle for Libya developments
are proceeding according to plan
without interference from the
enemy"
Some quarters in London suggested
this meant Rommel might have been
outmaneuvered at El Agheila while
others, taking a more cautious view,
conjectured that he might have left
Just a screen of token forces along
the 40-mile defile there while with
drawing the bulk of his remaining
forces toward Tripoli.
Growing Axis nervousness and
reports that British patrols had
penetrated as deep as two miles
within enemy lines between the Gulf
of Sirte and the Ell Agheila salt
depression lent support to the theory
that Rommel had decided against
a stand there.
The Italian high commands war
bulletin, without supporting details,
reported today that British armored
attacks had been warded of IN
Libya.
For their part, the Germans, frus-
trated IN their drive on Allled-held
Medjez ell Bah, IS miles southwest
of Tunis, said today that in new
thrusts stubborn Allied defenders
had been wiped out at bridgehead
south of the Medjerda River, which
bisects the Mateur- -Tebourba line IN
Tunisia.
Fighters Pounce on Convoy.
Allied long-range fighters pounced
on a northbound Axis convoy OF
troop and supply transport planes
south of Lampedusa Island, shooting
down at least eight Of the enemy
craft.
Iamredusa is about midway be-
tween the British island Of Malta
and the Tunisian coast.
The night previously bombers,
presumably from Malta airfields,
raided the Tunis docks again and
started a fire at the entrance 10
the canal.
Further word was lacking mean
while on reports yesterday that
American parachutists and tank
forces were striking across Tun1sia
toward the Gulf OF Gabes, $50 miles
south of the Tebourba front.
1t. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
continued to gather his forces In the
muddy hills and the Allied spokes-
man was optimistic that an over
vhelming Allied striking force
would be in position to push the
Germans back to the sea in due
time.
THE enemy has been able to ge,
appreciable men and materials from
Sicily" he said. Gen. Anderson
CIT. Gen. K. A. N. Anderson, COM
mander of the British lst Army
cannot commit himself to a major
battle until he is certain OF win
ming"
Reuters said the Rome radio re-
ported a meeting in North Africa
between Gen. Sir Bernard L. Mont
eomery, commander of the British
8th Army in Libya, and Gen. Ander-
son, adding that this seems tc
foreshadow concerted action by the
Allies.
Nazis Use Transport Planes.
A Reuters dispatch from the Tu-
nisian front estimated that $4,000
Germans and 5000 Italians were
now In Tunisia. Ten or IL German
transport planes are arriving with
troops every day, it was said.
There were no clarifying reports
ON the situation in the Mateur-
Tebourba area. but the Allied salient
which once jutted eastward like a
horseshoe from the two towns had
disappeared. The Allied line now
was almost straight, the spokesman
said, and there apparently had been
a withdrawal in the Tebourba re-
gion.
Many observers in London, how
ever, believed the territory between
Tebourba and Medjez el Bah, dis
tance Of about 20 miles, now was q
mo Mans Land"
The Vichy radio reported early
today that German forces were
maintaining their pressure against
Allied positions southwest OF
Tebourba.
The German column which had
advanced southwark from Tebourba
on Medjez ell Bah Thursday was de-
scribed by the spokesman as being
In 'some strength" another indica-
ton Of the expanding might of the
Axis In Tunisia. Together with q
column which approached the city
from the east this German force
was beaten back by a combination
(see AFRICA, Page A-s0