The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-02-12
BRITISH NEAR
BEN CARDANE
Continued from Page u

The Germans acknowledged the
attack In a broadcast by radio
Vichy, but claimed, as usual, that
the Allies had been repulsed.
Today's Allied headquarters COM
munique reported that rain and
snow were hampering ground oper-
ations on most Of the Tunisian
front. Douglas (A-20) light Boston
bombers, however, carried out q
raid on Sened, 20 miles southwest Of
Maknassy, and American-flown
British Spiftires and Bell (P-30 air
acobras made sweep over enemy
held territory.
The Eighth Army was In contact
with the Afrika Korps east Of Ben
Gardane two days ago, but today's
Middle Eastern Command commune
que indicated that storms again
were making action almost impossi-
BILE.
The communique said there was
nothing except patrol activity yes
terday, and severe storms" ham
pered air operations day and night.
In the only offensive air action re-
proted by the Middle Eastern COM
mand, Allied fighter planes sank an
enemy seaplane at anchor off the
south coast Of Sicily.
Disp atches from Algiers, via Ma
drid, said rear guards Of the Afrika
Korps were falling back to positions
farther inside Tunisia, ahead Of the
advancing British Eighth Army.
Lieut.. Gen. Bernard L. Montgonl-
cry, commanding the Eighth Army,
was not pushing the Afrika Korps'
rear guards too hard, 1t was said,
and some observers believed he was
merely nudging the Axis forces
along to find out where they intend
to make a determined stand.
There still was no indication
whether Marshal Erwin Rommel,
Axis commanders In North
Africa, would make stand behind
the Mareth Line, some so miles
ahead Of the British.
But 1t was believed, dispatches
said, that the Mareth Line was too
extended for Rommel's taste, and he
might retreat to Central Tunisia,
and try to hold the i4-mile stretch
above Gabes that lies between the
impossible Chott Djerid salt marsh
es and the coast.
Montgomery's armored patrols were
understood to be far out in the des-
ert south of the Mareth Line, and
in contact with the camel-mounted
cavalry of Brig Gen. Jacques Le-
cler's Fighting French forces from
the Chad region.
The final, smashing offensive by
the 100000 Allied troops in Africa
to throw the Germans and Italians
into the sea was expected to begin
within the next few weeks, under
the supreme command of Gen.
Dwight Eisenhower, Of the United
States Army.
United Press war correspondent
Henry Gorrell, who has been in the
desert with the Eighth Army since
last autumn, wrote in a dispatch
from Cairo that until the weather
clears, Eisenhower will try to starve
out the Axis with the powerful air
forces at his command.
Gorrell said smashing Allied at
tacks against Palermo, Messina and
other points in Sicily, had double
purpose. The immediate effect is to
strangle Rommel's supply lines, and
secondary purpose Is to weaken
enemy resistance for an invasion OF
the continent.
Snow, melting almost as quickly
as 1t fell, was impeding ground ac-
tivity of the American Fifth Army,
the British First Army and French
forces in Tunisia. The weather, how
ever. did not materially affect Allied
bombing operations.
The French reported mo land ac-
tiyity" yesterday because OF the
weather. A communique said French
fighter planes on the night OF Feb.
e.iO shot down two enemy aircraft
and probably destroyed Q third. ono
French plane was shot down, but
the pilot was saved.