The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-11-05
Presence of ROmmeI in Disastrous Defeat Is as
 Vet Uncertain
SECOND, THIRD IN
 COMMAND GONE
Terrific Toll Being Taker in Desert; Aerial Activ.
 ity Very Heavy
BY LEON KAY United Press Staff Correspondent)

United Press Staff Correspondent
 Cairo, November 5.-UP) Field Marshal Erwin Rom mel's routed Axis army fled westward toward the Libyan border today, pursued by SwarmS of British tanks and infantry and Allied planes that were taking a heavy toll from disorderly and demoral. ized columns.
 Today's first communique iron British headquarters indicated tha there had been no slackening in tn flight of the fleeing German ans Italian legions, whose sudden ane stunning defeat was disclosed II special communique yesterday.
 The Axis forces were speeding to, ward the more friendly sands O Italian Ligya without their secone and third in command, and perhaps without Rommel himself.
 General Georg von Stumme. sen. for officer who held command dur. ing Rommel's long absence from the front, 1t was disclosed, had been killed in action. General Ritter Won Thoma, commander of the Afrika Korps and one of Germany's leading tank experts, was one of the 5000 prisoners the Imperials had already taken, including many other German and Italian senior officers
 Rommels Presence Uncertain
 It was not known definitely whether Rommel, who was in Ser. lin several weeks ago. had returned to his troops. He may have arrived before or after the British offensiv, started
 The British continued their ad vance along the entire desert front today's joint communique Of the Royal Air Force and the Middll East Command declared. Lieut.. Gen B. L. Montgomery's Eighth Arm, tanks and troops were smashing a the Axis rear while a canopy of Al. lied planes, including many manned by Americans, blasted at the fleeing Axis forces, disorganizing them fur. ther.
 The communique was phrased ir conservative terms.
 In the north" 1t said, "the en. emy screen of anti-tank guns anc tanks is withdrawing before our ad- vancing forces. In the south. the enemy is stillholding out in a few isolated positions. Allied bombers fighter bombers and fighters yester- day throughout the day harassed the enemy withdrawing along the coastal road"
 Terrific Toll Taken h But it was known that the ground and air forces were adding to the terrific toll already taken from Rommel's retreating army. Tester days special communique said tha' more than 260 tanks, at least 27i guns and more than 500 planes hac been captured, destroyed or dam. aged. and that the Axis had sui fered exceptionally heavy" casual. ties. Allied casualties were excep- tionally light.
 Tn addition, Allied planes anc British naval units had sunk 50,00t tons and damaged Gas much again of enemy shipping bearing supplies for the hard-pressed Afrika korps.
 Reports reaching London saie Adolf Hitler was rushing four di- visions from the Russian front k Egypt. According to telephone mes sages to Istanbul from Greece, tho troops passed through Athens Mon- day. It was recalled that Russian dispatches recently had reported the withdrawal of German pla
 sent to Egypt. Others rep tank relnforcements were bf at to the desert front from C.
 ((Radio Berlin said "great 0cyei- opments" could be expected on the Egyptian front during the next few days. and emphasized that ai mill tary decisions there had been left tc Rommei. Yt said British losses had been huge-including 500 tanks and had not achieved a "decisiye' penetration)
 fFankia,,ad nys T,a0A Al