EIGHTH ARMY NEARING BUERAT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 December 1942, Page 3

EIGHTH ARMY NEARING BUERAT

Enemy Wrecking and Mining as He Retreats PERSISTENT BOMBING OF ENEMY BASES IN TUNISIA BOTH SIDES PREPARING FOR NEXT BATTLE LONDON, December 28. The advance guard of the British Eighth Army is nearing Buerat, 50 miles west of Sirte and about 120 miles from Misurata. A communique states that British troops were in contact with Rommel’s covering forces yesterday in an area a little more than ten miles from Buerat. The enemy is still blowing up roads, wrecking airfields and sowing minefields and booby traps. Sirte was found wrecked and mined. Correspondents report that the Eighth Army s equipment is rolling forward—petrol, food and water lorries, ammunition convoys and long lines of guns and tanks. The Eighth Army, another message states, is massing for an attack against the defences of Misuraa, 110 miles east of ’Tripoli, to which Field-Marshal. Rommel has delegated an Italian brigade in order to cover the withdrawal of the Afrika Korps, now nearing Tripoli. The harbours at Tunis and Sousse were raided by Allied aircraft on Saturday night and yesterday Sousse was again attacked by a large force of Flying Fortresses. High explogives were dropped on ships, docks a>nd warehouses. All the planes came back after a most satisfactory raid. Allied fighters are keeping up patrols over the forward areas and have shot up enemy transport. An Allied Headquarters communique reports that vigorous patrolling is being carried out in the forward areas. At one point a patrol inflicted casualties on the enemy and brought back prisoners. Artillery shelled Axis motor vehicles which beat a retreat. . Correspondents say that both sides are taking advantage of the lull in the fighting to bring up reinforcements and supplies in readiness for the next battle. A communique from French Headquarters states that French troops made progress in Southern Tunisia. Allied aircraft are giving air protection to the French troops,