Evening star., 1942-12-13
RommeI Lines Pierced by British
In New Libyan Drive, Berlin Says;
US. Heavy Bombers Blast Rouen
Allies in Tunisiu
RepuIse Two More
Germun Attacks
~ the Associated Press,

LONDON, Sunday, Dec. 13.-
The British 9th Army in Libya
has launched its awaited often
sive against the Axis lines at FL
Agheila and Axis positions far
to the south" have been pene-
trated, the Berlin radio an
nounced early today.
There was no confirmation from
Allied sources however, that Gen.
Sir Bernard L. Montgomery had
flung his powerful army against
Field Marshal Erwin Rommers
forces, to renew the offensive that
has pushed the Axis 100 miles back
from Ell Alamein in Egypt.
However, observers recalled that
the first intimation Of the smashing
British offensive at Ei Alamein in
October came from Berlin also. The
Berlin announcements indicated that
Gen. Montgomery apparently was
striking hard at the lower end of the
Agheha front in an effort to outfank
Rommel's bastion across the route
to Tripoli.
While the British and American
armies in Tunisia were repulsing
two more German tank and infantry
attacks against their Strengthened
line in Northern Tunisia, including
one attack directed to the northwest
OF Bizerte, a transocean broadcast
from Berlin gave the following de-
tails of the Montgomery attack
against Rommel:
Artillery Prepares Way.
Strong British infantry forces ad-
vanced after thorough artillery prep
aration on both sides of the coastal
roads yesterday. but were repulsed
after repeated and costly attacks.
Yesterday noon, Gen. Montgomery
switched his assault to the south.
where the British commander used
several special formations to clear
the way for tanks.
These penetrated small sector
Of the Axis lines, but met German
armored forces and heavy artillery
fire and were forced to back out
before they could consolidate their
positions, the German version said
The British renewed the battle
late yesterday afternoon, however,
and threw an entire fresh tank di-
vision into the assault in the same
sector.
The Germans said this attack still
was in progress and the results were
not yet known.
Twin Drives Possible.
Whether the new developments
we're timed to coincide with the
opening of a similar drive by 1t
Gen. K. A. N. Anderson's. British
and American Army in Tunisia or
to distract Axis attention while the
Allies insTunisia group their forces
was not clear, but the Rome radio
said the two British generals had
conferred in TuniSia on plans >for
co-ordnating their operations.
The American, British and French
forces in Tunisia, with their former
horseshoe line at Mateur, Tebourba
and Djedeida bent backward to a
straight line in the Medjez- Bah
area, meanwhile were engaged in
repelling two more German tank
and infantry attacks and in a mer-
clless air and submarine war on
the Axis supply lines.
One of these attacks was in a
northern sector which an Allied
spokesman described as northwest
of Bizerte, presumably along the
coast where Allied forces have not
been reported before.
The new German thrusts were
turned back with losses, however,
and the Allied spokesman said, Our
positions remain the same"
The Morocco radio said that $50
miles to the south of the Tunis-
Bizerte theater French forces had
seized important fortified positions
east Of Djanet on the frontier be-
tween Algiers and Libya.
A DNB commentator on the Ber-
tSee AFRICA, Page A-4J