| Show I Fleeing Axis Army Burns Supplies Stand Looks Futile CAIRO Nov 13 UP jp abandoned by the nazis in their headlong flight to stay ahead of their pursuers was reoccupied by ay the British Friday amid the first indication that the axis may maybe maybe maybe be yielding the last of North Africa without a struggle I As the imperial Eighth army's westward race and th the British- British American thrust eastward from French N Nor North 0 r t h Africa swiftly closed around the remnants of the axis forces the British announced announced announced an an- that R It RAF A F fighters had shot down six big Italian troop- troop carrying planes flying north probably from Tunisia and filled with German troops This meant possibly that the Germans hastily were pulling out of Tunisia the last buffer between the allies in the west and Tripoli I Ithe the capital and final citadel of II Italian Libya May Be Sappers Some Som sources speculated that the troops shot down might have peen been cen technicians ians sent to Tunisia solely to destroy equipment which might h help lp the allies Hot os on 01 Rommel Rommel's heels the Eighth Eighth- army picked up axis Stragglers Stragglers in the El Adem area just inland nd from front th the Mediterranean rl south of and allied planes hounded the retreat hitting road transport beyond ond and sinking s several e eve v e r l' a 1 supply-laden supply barges moving westward in the Medi Mediterranean terrane an Allied air forces had a field day Thursday Not one enemy fighter fight fight- er protected the he enemy column leaving the American and British fliers a clear field to do heavy damage Despite the vast scope of their air operations including the assault assault assault as as- sault on the transport lanes and damage to a southbound schooner in the central Mediterranean only one allied plane was missing Air scouts said the enemy still was westward from To To- bruk as fast as his transport could carry him Nazis Burn Stores Much of his remaining stores apparently were left in destroyed and burned When RAF raiders bombed the port Wednesday Wednesday Wednes Wednes- day night they saw more than fires many in clusters and brilliant white like burning ex ex- ex- ex plosives The Germans acknowledged that they had set the torch thoroughly thoroughly thoroughly thor thor- to all they had to leave at but that an undisclosed I amount of artillery and armored equipment was saved for later on when Rommel has decided on ona ona ona a last stand With a vital and nor- nor Continued on Page Four Column Two I- I NAZIS PUT TORCH TO SUPPLIES t Continued from flom Page Pare One mally defensible position already in British hands there was no indication where Nazi Field Marhal Marshal Marshal Mar- Mar hal Erwin Rommel might try try try- If at all to all to halt his retreat The British already have pushed him m back miles from the El EI line a and virtually with each ach mile mUe his man power and armored armored ar- ar mored ored strength have dwindled Under under uner un- un der er ceaseless land and air attack British O Occupy cupy British headquarters announced that hat the Eighth army had occupied occupied pied ed Bardia miles west of El EI and about 15 miles mUes deep In n Libya from the Egyptian border border borer bor bor- der er and that at allied planes were hammering ammering at Rommel's transport near ear Then indicative of the furious pace ace of the chase across the African African Af- Af rican desert a special que ue soon on after made the terse announcement announcement an- an is reported in our hands ands this morning Its harbor important as a source of sea borne supply for forlie forthe forthe the lie forces in the desert desentis is the chief territorial of the battle over ver the sandy wastes This was the second time it had fallen alien to the British It was captured from its ItalIan Italian Ital- Ital ian an defenders in General Sir Archibald Archibald Ar- Ar P. P Wavell's 41 1940 drive across Africa u. u When the battle u. u swayed back the axis counter- counter drive rive was compelled to detour around round it and it stayed in British possession for 17 months For Foright eight ight of them an heroic British and nd allied garrison withstood siege ege U un until fl t I II 1 Rommel's troops stormed into the port last June 22 May lay Try Stand Now that Rommel has lost what might have been an axis African Dunkerque the next place British observers believe he might make a stand is at El EI on the Gulf of I There he would have the adVantage advantage advantage ad- ad Vantage of defending a narrow passage passage passage-as as the British had at El EI B But ut t even if his depleted forces tried ried to stop atop there they still would be miles from Tripoli and Lieutenant General Dwight D D. Eisenhower's forces on the opposite opposite site ite side of Tunisia already are nearer than If he could reach Tripoli first Rommel still might lack air and naval strength to make an evacuation evacuation evacuation evac evac- possible although it is not known cnown what emergency reserves he may be holding there The question now was whether he e would hug the coast for its better road and water supplies or risk the shortcut over the rugged inland track |
