Show 3 Alli d Arm ies Close in inOn inn 1 On n Axis in Africa Fighting French Columns Drive Northward F From rom I Interior as U U. U S. S Sv British Advance By E. E C. C DANIEL LONDON Nov 19 Three UP-Three JP Three of the toughest armies assembled assembled as as- d by the un united t d nations since the start of ol tb the war converged converged con con- verged oh on the Tripoli Bengali triangle Thursday in fighting fighting fight fight- I fight I ing contact with the axis forces force while allied planes and para para- chute troopers built up air power pow pow- er in preparation for the final assault to wipe the Germans and Italians from north Africa As the Americans and British squeezed the last axis foothold from east and west a motorized column of Fighting French was reported driving up from the Lake Chad base 1200 miles to try the south to put the Lorraine cross of Fighting Fighting Fighting Fight Fight- ing France into the battle along with the tricolor of French north African garrisons which have joined with the allies Sweeping back outlying axis patrols patrols patrols pa pa- Lieutenant General Kenneth A. A N. N Andersons Anderson's First army the army the veterans of Flanders Flanders drove drove on into into into in in- to Tunisia from Algeria at several several several sev sev- eral points in a a sweep intended to trap and crush the Ital German ian borne air-borne army reported digging digging dig dig- ging in at Tunis the capital and the big naval base against French resistance German military quarters late Thursday said the first land clash between German and allied troops in Tunisia had taken place along the Tunisian coast just inside the border from Algeria While allied d dispatches said united nations troops swept back outlying axis patrols nazi quarters quarters quarters merely commented that advance advance advance ad ad- vance forces met mei and that no major major major ma ma- jor fighting dev developed loped Leaping ahead of Andersons Anderson's ground forces licau and British British British Brit Brit- ish parachutists were seizing vital airfields for use by up p units or the Uni United Unit Sates States ami aTh my air forces J i r f j MV A which al already already already al- al ready VI w w Ic tt it n i ng their way through the ax axis s aerial aerial screen The R It RAF A F laid down a bomb barrage for tor A Andersons Anderson's erson's advance Continued Ion on Pace Pae SiX ix Colu Three De Swing In to Close Trap on Rommel I q T m i Ik I L H V i 3 r 4 SPAIN SARDINIA ITALY A GREECE TURKEY a ALGIERS SICILY ORAN r r i GABES pOt pOt-I CRETE CYPRUS I CASABLANCA MOROCCO i ALGERIA EGYPT LIBYA i Y i FRENCH WEST AFRICA EGYPTIAN Make SUDAN FRENCH FRENCH- EQUATORIAL 0 NI G E R IA i AFRICA STATUTE MILES Press Mop Map MapA A Fighting French force was as pushing up through southern Libya Thursday to help close the trap on Rommel's battered forces still in re treat south of Vanguards of the British Eighth army raced westward along the coastal hump and south of the area in attempt to cut off foe from El corridor The allies continued to push eastward into Tunisia Dark shading of areas in pointers indicates ap proximate penetration Allied Armies Close Giant Three Sided Trap On Axis Forces Falling Back Bach in North Africa Continued from ram Page One while veteran battle of Britain squadrons engaged axis bomber flights and United States Flying Flying Flying Fly Fly- ing Fortresses turned their bombsights bombsights bombsights bomb- bomb sights upon the held axis-held airfield From the east the British Eighth army overtook the rearguard rearguard rearguard rear rear- guard of Field Marshal Rommel's broken African corps south of well well within miles of the El line where the nazi commander is expected to try a new stand Ships Reach Reuters said the Morocco radio radio reported that allied supply ships meanwhile had arrived at recaptured recaptured recap recap recap- to feed new force foree into the Eighth army's Libyan drive The broadcast did not specify specify specify whether the supplies were shipped from west to east through the contested Mediterranean or came the long way around Africa and through the Suez canal range Long-range British bombers soared across the Alps overnight for their fifth attack this month on Italy's ports and war industries indus indus- tries Tins This time the target was Turin home of the royal arsenal and the big Fiat airplane works Not a bomber was lost The Italians Italians Ital Ital- ians acknowledged once more that damage was heavy A Cairo reported a raid Tuesday night on the airdrome airdrome air airdrome air air- drome at Tunis and indicated that the air war had been extended again over Sicily where it said saida a German bomber was destroyed Reuters reported from north Africa that four Spitfires attacked a flight of six Italian Savoia torpedo torpedo tor- tor Jedo planes near an Algerian port shot down four of them and drove the Jie others away before they could attempt to discharge their torpedoes torpedoes torpedoes tor tor- against an allied convoy Although the allied did not identify the points at which columns had driven into Tunisia information here suggest suggest- suggested ed that these followed the main road and rail routes One from the Algerian port of Bone along the coast through Tabarca toward Bi Bi- Bi a second along a rail line from Algeria toward Tunis and a third farther south along a trail which runs through to Gabes where better roads lead on to and the coastal rail line to Tunis Progress of these drives was not disclosed but French forces were reported making a fighting withdrawal to join the incoming British and American forces while their compatriots from Algeria advanced as scouts ahead of Andersons Anderson's army French Striking Base Observers here said the advance from Lake Chad might use as a striking base the oasis which is miles south of Ben Ben- gasi and which the Fighting French seized from an Italian garrison garrison gar- gar rison 18 months ago Forces in the Chad region were reported here to be of considerable number well equipped and supported supported sup sup- ported by South African and R RAF A F squadrons I 1 The Morocco radio said only miles separated a motorized motorized mo mo- column from Lake Chad and the allied force of Lieutenant General K KAN A. A N. N Anderson pushing pushing push push- ing eastward through Tunisia Advance elements of the British Brit Brit- ish First army together with British British Brit Brit- ish and American parachute troops and French forces operating with us have entered Tunisia at several several several sev sev- eral points a said Contacts have been made with enemy scouting parties Set Oil Tanks Ablaze Flying fortresses of Brigadier General James H. H Doolittles Doolittle's command command command com com- mand were reported to have set oil tanks ablaze exploded munitions munitions muni muni- dumps wrecked grounded planes and destroyed a German fighter in a daylight raid on Ger Ger- occupied man-occupied while R RAF A F bombers struck at other objectives in the French protectorate Parachute troops were utilized as ground comb combat t teams moving up as the van of the advancing force by motor cars instead of by planes Without detail dispatches said they occupied several strategic strategic strategic stra stra- places French forces of General Henri Honore familiar fa fa- fa millar with the terri territory ory protected the allied flanks Simultaneously fresh resistance to the axis infiltration spread In Tunisia French parties were said to have fought German attempts to land more borne air-borne troops to bolster forces already estimated at Mobilization 1 Ordered A general mobilization order for the class of 1939 has been issued by the French authorities in north Africa the said At Oran French troops leaving for the east were accompanied to the train by an escort of honor and music from the United States forces there Axis U-boats U and aerial forays against the occupied American-occupied north African coast were declared proving costly The said 11 enemy aircraft were known to have been destroyed against an allied loss of three during the period from Sunday through Tuesday in the area of Bone Algeria The hunt of submarines by ships of the royal navy naval aircraft aircraft aircraft air air- craft and the R RAF A F continues it said and with considerable success suc sue suei i cess Other Developments Other developments in the Mediterranean Mediterranean Mediterranean Medi Medi- situation situation- General D' D Astier de la 57 who commanded the French air force in northern France at atthe atthe atthe the outbreak of the war joined General Charles de in London Lon Lon- don The Berlin radio said Max Bonnafous Bon- Bon Bonnafous Bonnafous Vichy's minister of agriculture agriculture agri agriculture agri- agri culture was reported to be drafting drafting drafting draft draft- ing new rationing restrictions in inthe inthe inthe the face of food shortages due to the loss of supplies from north African colonies United States forces were welcomed welcomed welcomed wel wel- by the sultan of Mor Morocco cco with an expression of our best wishes for mutual prosperity of the united nations |