The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-12-09
Activity in Northern Tuui. sia Drops Of or Both
 Sides of Fight
ALLIES HAVE TIGHT
 HOLD ON POSITIONS
American Air Force Now Beginning to Make itself
 Felt at Front
BY EDWARD W. BEATTTE United Press Staff Correspondent

United Press Staff Correspondent
 London, December 9. - (UP) - Allied artillery blasted back attacking Axis forces in the hills back of Tebourba today, according to reports from the front, and an official communiQue re- vealed 20 Axis tanks have been destroyed. African headquarters reported that the Nazi tanks were knocked out in the hard battle Of Sunday when the Germans were striving fiercely to blast American and British troops out Of their strong hin posi- tions in the Mateur Djedeica- -Te- bourba triangle.
 The Allied communique revealed the destruction Of three more enemy planes, including one brought down at night. Loss Of two more Allied planes was reported but the pilot oi one was safe.
 Activity Dies Down
 The communique indicated taaa activity in the last 24 hours had died down somewhat with nothing more extensive than patrol action in the forward area yesterday.
 However, other dispatches from Africa said that the Allies had won tighter grip on their positions with the aid of cuonter-attacks. ar ttllery fire and stronger air support.
 An Allied headquarters announce ment broadcast by Radio Morocco said American and British air forces with American pilots playing a ma- Jor part, were now giving effective support to the hard-pressed forward units of Lieut.. Gen. Kenneth A. N. Ancerson's ground forces in the northern Tunisia defense triangle.
 Artillery Fire Heavy
 After the Allied counter attack in the region of Tebuorba," it said, Axis column have been contiuu- ally under fierce Allied artillery fire"
 American and British tanks had smashed a German effort to pene- trate Allied positions west of Te- bourba, driving back enemy arznorec columns after they had knifed their way into the Allied lines. The Ger mans withdrew after heavy fighting, Lieut.. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower Allied commander. announced in ar official ccomuniQue.
 Today's announcement from Ra- dio Morocco said the Allies cuuti- nued to concentrate land and air forces with the activity and number of planes in operation increasing daily.
 Not Enough Concentration
 Observers believed. however, thai the Allied concentrations in the Te- bourba Djedeida Mateur trianglE were still too weak to attempt 2 knockout offensive against the Ger man bridgeheacs at Bizerte anc Tunis.
 The Germans still were reinforcing their two main Tunisian st-ongholds and Allied planes were disclosed to have raided both Tlnis and B.zerte aSa1n.
 Observers pointed out that even if the German air advantags at TuniS or Bizerte were neutralized, tn Axis still could carry out its air waer from Sicilian bass, less than an hours fight away.
 The Axis now was belieTd to have more than 3o.000 troops in the Turisian triangle and military quarters believed this number was adequate for its defense. They doubted that Adolf Hitler intended anything i, the nature of a real offensive from the triangle. paFtic- ulariy in view of the precariOas poe sition of his Lbyan forces at n Agheila, where British 1mperials were expected momentarily to at- tack.
 Troops fin Position
 Gen. Sir Bernard l.. Montgomery was understood to have his trips already in position for an attack, with an armored division. fwe an- fantry divisions-New zealan@ez
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