VIOLENT COMBATS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 November 1942, Page 4

VIOLENT COMBATS

IN CENTRAL TUNISIA REPORTED BY ALGIERS RADIO. SUCCESSFUL ALLIED DEFENCE OF AERODROME. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.50 a.m.) RUGBY, November 25. The Algiers wireless stated tonight that violent combats are taking place in Central Tunisia. Allied paratroops, who have occupied art important aerodrome, repelled enemy attacks and took prisoners. The White House, a Washington message stales, has announced the receipt of a message from the Sultan of Morocco informing President Roosevelt that Morocco had been forced to defend itself, owing to its agreement with France, when United States troops first landed, but that “when a cessation of hostilities had been ordered, and the commander of your troops affirmed that they did not come as an enemy, but as liberators, and when they had given us tangible proof of their friendly methods, we had faith in their agreement.”

SUPPLY FACTORS

PREPARATIONS TO DEAL WITH STRONG FORCES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.15 a.m.) RUGBY, November 25. Although the British forces continue to pursue the enemy towards Tripolitania, no spectacular developments are immediately expected either on this front or in Tunisia. As the pursuers’ communications lengthen, the bringing up of supplies from forward railheads hundreds of miles behind the Libyan front presents formidable difficulties, which are not lessened by the prevailing bad weather. In Tunisia, also, t’he Allies’ immediate tasks are connected with the landing and massing of large quantities of equipment, as well as men, for a drive against the strong enemy forces which are certain to be encountered. It appears that air power at this stage is the dominating factor and without adequate air resources the Allies are not likely to commit the ground forces to a full assault. The enemy ground force 1 strength in and around the Tunisian ports is uncertain, but no doubt is felt that a large movement of enemy air forces has taken place overland to the Mediterranean and these are well placed in the triangle of Sicily, Sardinia and Tunis to operate against the Allied forward troops. This development was expected and it is recalled that the attack in Egypt and the landings in North-West Africa were intended to divert German forces from the Russian front.