The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-01-26
Lieut.. Gen. Mark CIark's Forces Reported On
 Move
BRITISH COMMANDOS
 SAID TO HAVE STRUCK.
Uncertainty as to Where. Afrika KOrps May Try
 to Make Stand
BY WILLIAM B. DICKINSON : United Press Staff COrrespOndentDj

BY WILLIAM B. DICKINSON V United Press Staff COrrespOndcnth
 London, January 26. ,- (UP) = Radio Rome said to- day that Axis reconnaissance planes had discovered largo scale American troop move4 ments in lower Tunisia, ir- dicating that Lieutenant General Mark Clark's Fifth Army was about to thrust toward Gabes to cut off the retreating Afrika Korps. Gabes is 100 airline miles from the Tunisiail border, and above the French- built Mareth Line, which the bulk of the. Afrika Korps' remnants was believed to have reached.
 Radio Paris broadcast 8 German report that British Commandos had struck on the Tripolitaniai1 coast between Tunisia and zuara, 32 miles from the border, in an effort to cut of the Afrika Korps. Nazf Radio Paris claimed the attempt had been "frustrated."
 A United Press cOrresponden re- ported from southern Tunisia sev- eral days ago that American troops in the area near Gabes might soon be engaged in the biggest fight of their lives.
 Gen. Jacques LeClerc announced that his Fighting French forces, which had driven 1900 miles from the Lake Chad region, entered Tripoh yesterday. They were now ready to join the Eighth Army in its pursuit of the Afrika Korps..
 Positions Vague z
 The Middle Eastern command was still vague about the relative posi- tions of the Eighth Army and the Afrika Korps, although uaits of thee Eighth Army were reported more ( than A hours ago to have crossed into Tlnisia in hot pursuit of the Germans and Italians. # The Eighth Army has taken Zauia, 30 miles west of Tripoli, the M4uAAC IuoVCAA COAAAALAdA1d odAN, AG- II porting local advances" by forward British elements in the northern sector.
 Allied bombers and fighter -bomb- CTS carried on their relentless day. in-day-out marrying of the Afrika Korps. The Afrika Korps was machine-gunned and bombed near Zuara yesterday, the Middle Eastern command said, and hits were scored on vessel in zuarda harbor.
 Allied bombers returned Sunday night to Medenine. where the Axis was reported keeping most of it's planes from Tripolitania. The Air. port and other targets at Medenine, 68 les/inside Tunisia, were blasted. No planes under the Middle Eastern command were lost, although enemy supply lines in Sicily and Tunisia also were bombed and machine gunned yesterday.
 Axis Position Uncertain
 The next few hours were expect eG LO ten whether the Afrika Korpa would try to make Q stand aA Mareth or retreat all the way to the -Bizette area.
 Marshal Erwin Rommel. conl4 mander of the Afrika Korps, hla hmoved 45,000 to 50,O00 men from an original force of 185,O00 into Tunisia and most of them behind the Mareth line, 50 to 55 miles in- side the Tunisian border, dispatches said.
 With the Eighth Army, eager for the kill, in hot pursuit, it was not believed that he would stop more than momentarily, dispatches from Algiers, via Madrid, said the Axis believed the Tunisian bridgeheaq could be used offensively only &
 With thatb
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