Evening star., 1942-11-19
Fig ghting F French Column Joins
In Squeeze Of Axis in Africa:
Allied 'Chutists Seize Airfie|ds
Strong Force Said
To Be Pushing Up
From Lake Chad
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Nov. 19.-Three of
the toughest armies assembled
by the United Nations since the
start of the war converged on
the Bizerte-Tripoli- tri-
angle today in fighting contact
with Axis forces, while Allied
planes and parachute troopers
built up air power in preparation
for the final assault to wipe the
Germans and Italians from
North Africa.
AS the Americans and British
squeezed the last Axis foothold from
east and west, a motorized column
of Fighting French was reported
driving up from the Lake Chad base
1900 miles to the south to put the
Lorraine Cross of Fighting France
into the battle along with the tri-
color of French North African gar
risons which have joined with the
Allies.
Sweeping back outlying Axis
patrols, 1t. Gen. Kenneth A. N.
Anderson's 1st Army-the veterans
of Flanders-drove on into Tunisia
from Algeria at several points in a
sweep intended to trap and crush
the German-Italian air-borne army
reported digging in at Tunis, the
capital, and Bizerte, the big naval
base, against pro-Allied French re-
sistance.
Leaping ahead of Gen. Anderson's
ground forces, American and Brit
ish parachutists we're seizing vital
airfelds for use by follow-up units
of the United States Army Air
Forces and the Raj which already
were cunning their way through the
Axis aerial screen.
Bombers Blast Bizerte.
The Raj laid down a bomb bar
rage for Gen. Anderson's advance,
while veteran Battle of Britain
squarons engaged Axis bomber
flights and United States Flying
FortresSes turned their bomb sights
on the Axis-held Bizerte Airfeld.
From the east, the British 9Th
Army overlook the rear-guard of
Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's
broken African Corps south of Ben
gasi-well within 160 miles of the
Ell Agheila line where the Nazi COM
mander is expected to try a new
stand.
Reuters said the Morocco radio
meanwhile, had arrived at recap
tured Tobruk to feed new force into
the 9th Army's Libyan drive. The
broadcast did not specify whether
the supplies were shipped from west
to east through the contested Medi-
terranean, or came the long way
around Africa and through the Suez
Canal.
Long-range British bombers scared
across the Alps overnight for their
fifth attack this month on Italy's
ports and war industries. This time
the target was Turin, home of the
royal arsenal and the big Fiat air.
plane works. Not bomber was lost.
The Italians acknowledged once
more that damage was heavy.
Tunis Airdrome Raided.
A Cairo communique reported a
raid Tuesday night on the airdrome
at Tunis, and indicated the air war
had been extended again over Sicily
where it said German bomber was
destroyed.
Reuters reported from North Al
rica that four Spittires attacked
flight of six Italian Savoia torpedo
planes near an Algerian port, shot
down four of them and drove the
others away before they could at
tempt to discharge their torpedoes
against an Allied convoy.
Although the Allied communique
did not identify the points at which
columns had driven into Tunisia, in
formation here suggested that these
followed the main road and rail
routes-one from the Algerian port
of Bone along the coast through Ia
barca toward Bizerte; g. second,
along a rail line from Tebessa, Al
geria, toward Tunis; and third,
runs through Gafsa to Gabes, where
better roads lead on to Sfax and the
coastal rail line to Tunis.
Progress of those drives was not
disclosed, but pro-Allied French
forces were reported making fight
ing withdrawal to join the incoming
British and American forces, while
their compatriots from Algeria ad-
vanced as scouts ahead of Gen. An
derSon'S army.
Chad Forces Strong.
Observers here said the advance
from Lake Chad might use as
striking base the Kufra Oasis, which
Is 500 miles south of Bangasi and
which the Fighting French seized
from an Italian garrison 1S months
ago.
Forces in the Chad region were re-
ported here to be of considerable
number, well equipped and supported
by South African and RAF squad
ronS.
While American and British forces
edged nearer Tripoli from Algeria
and Gen. Sir Bernard Montgomerys
British 9th Army maintained its ad-
vance from Egypt, Reuters quoted
Cairo dispatch broadcast by the
Algiers radio as saying an Allied
force "of considerable strength" was
moving north into the Libyan Desert
from the Fighting French bases on
Lake Chad.
The Morocco radio said about $40
miles separated motorized column
from Lake Chad and the Allied force
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