Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-14

Continued From First Page }
no major engagement had devel.
oped up to that hour.
Go Through Main Positions,


Go Through Main Positions.
The official announcement that
the Africa Corps was retreating west
ward toward Tripoli, its main Libyan
base, was interpreted as clearly in
dicating the 9th Army had gone
through Marshal Rommers main
fortified positions between the Gulf
Of Sirte and the salt sinks to the
south.
military informants in Lon
don said it was probable that
Marshal Rommel came to the
conclusion he was in for a beat
ing If he stayed at Ell Agheila, so
he just pulled out to head off
certain disaster.
C"This is the first time in this
war that a great German army
has found itself faced by equal
forces, and what happens?" one
military source commented. 1.-THE
German army pulls out without
a fight"
ct Is difficult at this stage to
predict how far Marshal Rommel
would retreat before making a
real stand, said this informant.)
Rearguard Action Expected.
Marshal Rommel quit the most
defensible position left to him east
of Tripoli, it was pointed out, and
1t was likely that the Germans and
Italians would fight strong rear
guard action until they get to that
port.
Some quarters believed the Axis
might make stand at Misurata,
an oasis position protected by salt
marshes some 300 miles from Ell
Agheila. There Marshal Rommel
would have shortened supply line
to Tripoi, but, on the other hand.
each mile he retreats brings nearer
a junction of the 9th Army and
Allied forces in Tunisia.
Gen. Montgomery will be aided
considerably in his renewed pursuit
by the use of Bengasi and Tobruk
Harbors to land supplies at his
rear.
Although both these ports were
Uttered with wrecks of Axis ships,
military sources said there was evil
dence that they were in operation
Immediately after the British moved
in, with "the navy unloading stuff
almost before the last Germans got
out"
Allied mastery of the air over
Libya was emphasized by the official
announcement that, in addition to
providing brilliant support to the
8th Army, medium bombers swept
far ahead of these operations to
bomb Sousse, in Tunisia, and across
the Mediterranean to attack the
Sicilian port of Palermo again Sat-
urday night.
Allied Circles Jubilant.
While the bulletin gave no de-
tails of the fighting or the losses
inflicted on the enemy, Allied circles
here were jubilant. For the nature
Of the ground over which Marshal |
Rommel is retreating offers few DOS
sibilities of defense.
Observers pointed out that the
next readily defensible position
where the willy Axis chieftain might
be expected to attempt a stand
IS at Misurata, 300 miles west of
Fl Agheila and only 100 miles from
his main base at Tripoli.
Tripoli itself is only about 500
miles from Tunis.
Since launching his drive at Ell
Alamein in Egypt October %. Gen.
Montgomerys forces have driven
Marshal Rommel back approx
mately 700 miles and have inflicted
staggering casualties on his vaunted !
Africa Corps.
The first hint that Gen. Mont
gomery had struck again came Sat- |
urday from the German radio. |
which said the British had attacked |
that morning with two tank and
two infantry divisions after a heavy
commandment by artillery and
planes.
Treacherous Marshes.
Ell Agheila had been selected bv
Rommel as the spot to make his
oeoiAA oCSouoG tllC pdSodUlc JeITlUOIy
there Is limited to a 40-mile front.
f1anked on the north by the Medi-
terranean and on the south by
treacherous marshes.
Little action had been. reported
from this front since the fall of
Bengasi % days ago-a period which
Gen. Montgomery apparently has
been Using to rest his forces and
mass fresh men and equipment for
final thrust to carry out his pledge
to drive the Axis from North Africa.
Indications that his preparations
were about complete, however be-
gan to take shape last week as
reports filtering back from the front
told OF increasing activity by. Brit
ish patrols and Allied planes.
The first blow apparently was
struck early Saturday when a long
range tank battle was fought on the
southern end of the line and was
followed by another thrust at Mersa
Brega on the opposite flank.