ANTICIPATED IN NORTH AFRICAN THEATRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 November 1942, Page 3

ANTICIPATED IN NORTH AFRICAN THEATRE

Reinforcements Reaching Enemy IN BOTH LIBYA AND TUNISIA ROMMEL SAID TO BE DIGGING IN AT EL AGHEILA LONDON, November 25. From both Libya and Tunisia there come signs of grim fighting ahead. It may even have started already. Rommel is receiving arms and reinforcements, especially aircraft and it is indicated that he intends to make a stand at El Agheila. Correspondents say he is digging in there behind concrete, on a narrow front, protected by the sea on one side and a swamp on the other. While he is fortifying this vital bottleneck, his rearguards are playing for time and our forces are engaging them. General Montgomery is rushing up lots of heavy guns. It is pointed out that the position at El Agheila is very like that at El Alamein, where the Eighth Army smashed through Rommel’s defences in the opening movement of its offensive. In Tunisia there are many signs that the Germans are getting reinforcements of tanks and troops as well as aircraft. Correspondents point out that the silence of the Allies does not mean that they are doing nothing. They are doing a great deal. The Morocco radio reports the defeat of a German column in Southern Tunisia and says that General Anderson is on the point of launching a large-scale offensive. In the House of Commons the Foreign Secretary (Mr Eden) explained the Government’s reasons for postponing a broadcast by General de Gaulle, the Fighting French leader, which was to have been made some days ago. Mr Eden said: “The Prime Minister and I did not think that a broadcast of this particular type would be helpful to the extremely tense and difficult opera- ' tions now proceeding in Tunisia.” A Washington message states that President Roosevelt has received a message from the Sultan of Morocco stating that the inhabitants of Morocco have greeted the American occupation forces as friends.