Evening star., 1942-12-23
Africa
Continued From First Page.)

indicate geographical positions. but
said British patrols continued to
harass the withdrawing enemy
troops and commented that the
work of mine clearance and road re-
pair is continuing satisfactorily
In Tunisia, Allied detachments
felt out Axis deployments in winter
showers preparatory to the renewal
of large-scale battles for the possess
sion of Bizerte, Tunis and other
bastions in Axis possession.
Communicates from the London
Admiralty and British Middle East
headquarters in Cairo listed these
Axis surface craft as victims of the
war of attrition in the Mediterra-
mean:
One Axis supply ship sunk, one
believed sunk and two more supply
ships and an escorting destroyer
,orpedoed by submarines. Whether
the last three vessels were hope
lessly damaged was not ascertaned
One small enemy supply vessel
sunk in the Gulf of Gabes (off the
Tunislan COAST by light naval
forces.
One enemy merchant vessel set
af1re and small escort ship hit
directly off Sicily and several direct
hits scored on enemy vessels in the
main basin at Tunis by Allied
planes Monday night. The Cairo
communique said mo trace of the
smaller (escort) vessel could be
found after the attack" of Sicily.
Single Sub Sinks Two.
The Admiralty said two of the
supply ships torpedoed we're south
bound lin the Tunis- -Bizerte area y
A single submarine accounted for
both, it reported, saying one went
down and "it was considered prob
able the second ship also sank"
Another submarine scored two hits
zach on the other two supply ships
and the destroyer in an attack on q
convoy off Sardinia, the Admiralty
said. 1t reported that ''it was not
possible to observe the nnal result,
Of these attacks"
The italian communique broadcas
from Rome said Axis forces wer,
active against Allied communication
lines. 1t reported that German
planes had severaly damaged fiv
large merchant ships and torpedo
boat in attacks on British and Amer
lean conveys in Algerian waters.
German and Italian detachment
"have gained ground after livel,
local encounters in Tunisia, re
pulsed Allied counterattacks OF
mountain defenses and captured
prisoners and war materials, tn,
hign command Isaid.
OF Marshal Rommels flight /
said. I'm the Sirte region, enem.
groups who attempted disturbin,
actions were annihilated"
Malta Springboard.
Detailing one phase of the attack
on Axis shipping, the RATS Middl
East news service said Malta wa
a springboard for torpedo carrying
albacores in the attack off Sicily
A 70-foot jet of smoke and stean
arose from the merchant ship ant
the escort vessels position wa
marked by large patch of oil.
Wellington bombers based on tn
battered British island made tn,
new smash at Tunis and were de
clared to have scored several direc
hits on two ships in the main basin
causing both to disintegrate IL
crimson explosions which merged
into one great burst,
Explosives were dropped upon thu
Tunis freight yards included on
1000 pound bomb and 1000 pound
er burst on the edge of the cana
linking La Goulette with Tunl
harbor, the account said,
In Central Tunisia Fighting Frencl
forces still were driving to smasl
through to the eastern coast, ant
had beaten off a German counter
attack west of Kairouan. presum
ably at Pichon. about SO miles ives
Of Sousse.
stabbing ahead of the main Ameri
can and British troops in Tunisial
positions, Allied patrols brushed will
German units Is miles northeast o
Medjez-El-Bab. crossroads town. ant
10 miles southeast of Mateur yester
day, probing enemy locations Will
the Allied forces were being steadil
reinforced for assaults to drive t
Tunis and Bizerte, the Axis strong
holds In Tunisia.