Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-29
Africa
Continued From First Page

British submarine was sunk in the
Mediterranean.
The Germans said their subma-
rines had sunk IS cargo ships. a de-
stroyer and a corvette in a tWo-day
running attack on an Allied convoy
bound from England toward North
Africa. A German report recorded
i'll London said the convoy was
American Three additional ships
been torpedoed
The terse announcement by the
conservative Allied command of
vigorous patroling' in Tunisia,
along with reports of intensified
bombing of Axis bases, were seen
by unofficial quarters in London as
q signal that the time for re-
newed offensive was ever nearer.
In one skirmisn, the Allied COM
mand reported yesterday, patrol
inflicted casualties and took pris-
oners in attacking an enemy de-
tachment on the Medjez-El-Bab-
Tebourba road, and another patrol
ulOFe ol1 AAAo uAiito "i'iioue AooS w
| itself
French Army advance headquar-
tiers in Tunisia announced that
French forces have cut an impor-
tant road after a fierce dawn battle
in drive, backed by Allied tanks
and planes. through the central
Tunisian hills south OF Pont du
Fahs
The French said the area had
been cleared Of the enemy ano
credited a picturesque detachment
I! of Foreign Legionnaires with a
prominent part in the fighting.
The Morocco radio earlier had
announced that French forces were
continuing their advance below Point
du Fahs on the southern flank of
the Tunisian front despite counter
attacks by reinforced Axis troops
which they said had driven their
lines back slightly at one point
Pont du Fahs is 30 miles south of
Tunis.
| Numerous prisoners have been
taken, two 4.7-inch guns were cap
tured, several tanks were destroyed
and one enemy plane was shot down
by French fire" the earlier commu-
| nique said. In the region northwest
! of Teroub a raid brought in some 20
prisoners, including two officers. We
suffered no losses
A group of P-38s was reported to
have shot up eight enemy trucks II
miles north of Pont du Fahs, where
Allied air support has been an i'm
portant factor in the gains of French
ground troops.
| Fighting French forces driving up
from Lake Chad, in Equatorial
Africa, also are continuing to ad-
/ vance south of Fezzan, some $50
miles below Tropoh. in Southwest
ern Libya, the Brazzaville radio said
| last night
! French Somaliland in East Africa
has joined the Fighting French,
Gen. Charles de Gaulle's headquar-
tiers announced today. 1t said the
flag of the Fighting French was
raised last night in Djibouti. The
| Vichy radio announced last night
that French and British troops had
entered the colony
! On the political side, Gen de
Gaulle in broadcast last night as
serted the hour had come for unit
ing all anti-AXis Frenchmen in a
temporary government until such
time as the nation herself may be
able to express it's sovereign wishes. :"
Gen. De Gaulle praised Gen. Henri
Giraud, successor to the assassinated
Admiral Jean Darlan as high COM
missioner of North Africa.
He declared the union of the
whole empire in the war is no longer
merely desired and desirable. but
perhaps soon will be realizable."
| Another sign of greater French
unity was seen in letter to Gen.
De Gaulle from Vice Admiral Emile
Muselier, former commander of the
Fighting French naval forces, de-
claring he was ready ito accept any
active post at sea or on land in the
fight against the enemies of France. +"
Early last spring Admiral Muselier
resigned his naval command and his
post on the Free French National
Committee, and later declined to be-
come inspector general of the fleet.