London Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 18, 1942, London, Middlesex                                Pase 4 the stars and stripes Friday dec. Allies fortifying strategic Hill on Tunis front nazis from russian front m Ove into position As big i clash nears with the Allied forces in Tunisia dec 16 delayed it apr a rough Hill in the perimeter of Medvez Al Bab 35 Miles Southwest of Tunis has been fortified and garrisoned by British and f Rench troops and a contingent of United states tanks to form the key Point of the Allied front in the momentarily quieted Campaign for Tunisia. It has been supplied and strengthened to remain the spearhead of the Allied positions. Behind Medvez Al Bab the Allied army is preparing for a big push to Clear out the Axis tunisian forces. A major Battle is expected to develop. The germans have a big army in Tunisia including some of their finest fighting units. Ibis indicated that the Campaign Here will be no Mere delaying action for the germans. It will be the scene of one of Hiller s main efforts to Hall the allies. Red front decorations Axis troops have been withdrawn from All parts of Europe and Many Wear decorations from the russian front. There were indications that one unit engaged Here was being organized by Gei Many Lor action on the soviet front when it suddenly had to be despatched to Africa. German reinforcements and material Are being rushed in by transport planes and gliders. Axis positions hammered Allied he North Africa dec. 16 delayed apr the . Twelfth air Force led by two big forces of flying fortresses hammered Axis held harbours Aird Romes and shipping for the third successive Day in heavy attacks yesterday while the Lull in ground lighting enforced by the bad weather continued. The spokesman asserted that German air activity Over the Battlefront had diminished substantially in recent Days As a result partly of bad flying weather but also As a result of the continued battering the Axis advanced airfields had received from Allied planes. He said that Contact had been made Between Axis and Allied ground forces Southeast and due East of Medvez Al Bab. The germans were reported to be shelling the town. A spokesman at Headquarters said that the breathing space in the ground Battle was enforced also by the need for both sides to bring up fresh men and equipment. One formation of flying fortresses plastered the Harbor at Tunis battling through heavy ground tire and determined opposition by enemy fighters. All the fortresses returned safely and the spokesman said that the results of the raids were a very  a second flight of fortresses hammered the Harbor at Bizerte with equally Good results All returning to their base in spite of intense heavy flak. Rommel continued front Page 1 after flight of night bombers participated was far greater than at first believed. Some of the gasoline tanks at la Goulette Are gone forever and its Waterside is a shambles. La Goulette is connected with the port of Tunis itself by a canal five Miles Long at the Side of which is a railway. Bombers Laid missiles All along its length smashing up the lines and caving in the embankments. So that Sand poured into the canal partially closing it for the time being. The importance of this is enhanced when it is considered that Tripoli has been so attacked from the air that it is now Only of secondary importance As a port and the germans Are relying mainly on Tunis and la Goulette to get supplies into Africa. Medium and fighter bomber aircraft of the i a. Air Force continued to Hammer at anti aircraft positions and motor vehicle concentrations West of Al Asheila the . Air Force communique said. Many hits were observed on the targets. At one Point a bomb from a medium bomber caused a very Large explosion which was followed by billowing Clouds of Black smoke. From these missions All our aircraft  first . Plane lands on yank built Field a . Ai drome England dec. 17�?for the first time in the British Isles an american flying fortress has landed on Ait american constructed Ai drome. The unit at the Field is commanded by maj. Walter h. Esdorn new Rochelle . The first Landing was witnessed by maj. Gen. Ira c. Eaker eighth air Force commander Brig. Gen. Newton Longfellow eighth bomber command Brig. Gen. Stuart c. Godfrey chief of engineers army air Force col. Rudolph e. Smyser jr., Engineer eighth air Force service command and maj. A. R. M Oore 11th corps District Engineer. Reds w ipe out nazi division american tanks operated by russians take part in Battle Moscow. Dec. 17 apr a dispatch from the Central front reported today that the 14th German motorized division which once consisted of 20,000 men had been wiped out. British and american tanks operated by russians were taking part in the fighting on the Central front according to a red army officer. A German officer prisoner Eric Schultz gave a history of the German division after it was smashed in the snows of the Central front. He said that it was formed before the War at Leipzig. In september 1939, it was dispatched to Poland and later almost intact it was transferred to the dutch Border. Meanwhile near Stalingrad a Large German Force Superior in numbers to the red army units was forced to turn Back Southwest of Stalingrad in the District of Verkine Kumsky which is near Kotel Nikoo after trying to penetrate to the depth of the russian defences. A red Star dispatch said that the nazis threw Large numbers of tanks and infantry into an attack on an especially narrow front the germans seeking to drive deeply into the red army positions and destroy the entire plan of the Southwest offensive. From the beginning the germans met Strong resistance and the dispatch said their every Effort to obtain their ultimate objective was rejected. The germans obtained numerical superiority after Many Days of concentrating troops Here from deep in the rear. A red Star dispatch said that As the German forces pressed on the red army positions in an Effort to develop the penetration the soviet troops fell upon them from two sides in this narrow sector. Caught Between the two forces of russians the nazi Advance slowed Down. The red army s counter attacks increased. Snared in the midst of their own plans Large numbers of nazi troops in this Battle in the Region of the Stalingrad to Koretskaya railway were slaughtered. One of the most interesting phases of the Day s developments was the mention in the communique of fighting West of Surov Ikino where the russians took a populated Point. Surov Ikino lies close to the Stalingrad Lik Haya railway on the River Chir. It is due West of Stalingrad in the midst of the Don Cossack Steppes. Allies pledge retribution for extermination of jews Washington. Dec. 17 apr the United nations in a joint declaration today condemned Germany s a a bestial policy and cold blooded extermination of jews and pledged that those responsible a shall not escape  the american state department announcing the statement signed by 11 United nations and the committee of the fighting French said that reports from Europe indicated that the German authorities were a now carrying into effect Hitler s Oft repeated intention to exterminate the jew ish people in  a not much Chance of escape a Battle he. Dec. 17 up a a a one unit trapped in a Box looked As though it was trying to get out. From what i saw. It had Little Chance As there was a helluva lot of our Armor and infantry blocking its passage  this was one Pilot officer s description of a nazi unit trapped in its Retreat westwards along the coast Road towards Tripoli. A i Don t think Rommel can pull out of that  declared a flight lieutenant. A a we have a Strong ring around him and our Armor to the West of Marble Arch is giving him  he saw numbers of Rommel s forces moving Westward but they put up the weakest and most inaccurate tire he said. . Mechanics keep Mem flying stars and stripes photo a . Aviation repair station England dec. 17�?�?oto keep Mem flying a against the enemy in Europe is the Job of aviation mechanics such As sgt. Ray Fields Lawton okla., who is checking one of the four massive air cooled engines which Power an american flying fortress. Red Cross Field director reunites service Brothers by Charles f. Kiley stars and stripes staff writer a . Medical unit England dec. 17�?Here s one for a a Hobby  Joe Mason director of a red Cross club in Southern England operates a one Man a a lost and found a Agency for Brothers in the service. One time publicity agent for the Orange bowl football game and a resident of Miami fla., Mason has travelled All Over England made scores of phone Calls and has done some expert sleuthing in reuniting three sets of Brothers who had t seen each other for periods ranging from 14 months to two years. Now Joe is working on a fourth set. Sgt. Jim Wilson and pvt. Ralph Wilon Indiana had t seen each other for two years until Mason got them together for 24 hours recently. He met Jim Wilson on the boat coming Over listened to his Story and then spent weeks tracking Down Ralph until he found him Only 40 Miles from where Jim eventually was stationed. Sgt. Jim Ritchie Boston journeyed Over 600 Miles in Britain trying to find his brother Bill until Mason joined in the search. A month later the Brothers met each other. After getting a pair of Navy Brothers together Mason started work on his toughest Case. He has t completed it yet and for personal reasons can t mention names. A Sailor told him his brother was a casualty on the aircraft Carrier Wasp and was recuperating in a Hospital a a  his Uncle a major in the army who has been a father to them is ignorant of his nephews illness. Mason is trying to locate the Uncle. Eter ans attend Howard Donat clubs birthday on i program continued from Page 1 still As Friendly and efficient As Ever and Happy to see the boys Back. Only missing member among the original four was Walter Currie who left the club Early this year to become a major in the . Army. Mrs. Blake is the Only one of them still connected with the club As the Hutchinsons now Are stationed at a red Cross club in Southern England. The Hutchinsons came Home to Cut the cake and a Beautiful birthday cake it was. With mrs. Blake they hid the Surprise creation behind a screen yesterday afternoon and busied themselves with streamers Bunches of toy balloons and All the trappings for a party As the orchestra warmed up. Old friends were already coming up to Greet them. Entertainment was furnished by a a  including it. Howard d. Hively one time member of the Eagle Squadron and miss Jane Russell hostess. Master of ceremonies was m sgt. Bill Carey Chicago who As a Canadian Soldier visited the club on the Day it opened dec. 17, 1940. Leslie Howard and Robert Donat Are among the stars who will entertain United states troops and their British guests at a Christmas eve party at King Sway Hall London. Other guest artists will include a Cowboy Singer and 1st it. Max k. Gilstrap Ardmore okla., who before the War was a radio entertainer. The Cowboy Singer is pvt. Homer Harris Denver col. The party will begin at 8 pm dec. 24, and will end before Midnight with a 15-minute non sectarian devotional service led by chaplain capt. C. R. Mcclelland Dallas Tex. Special guests Wall include members of British families who have invited american soldiers into their Homes on Christmas Day and 50 enlisted personnel of the British army railway transport office in London. Swing music will be furnished by a band led by w o Frank Rosato new Orleans la. More than 2,000 Are expected to attend. 9,000-Pound . Bombs chunking dec. 17 Apt Gillam Ai drome at Hanoi the largest japanese Ai drome in French undo China a was plastered with four and a half ton bombs on monday it was announced today. As the United states China air task Force continued to smash enemy strongholds in Burma and undo China. Gleefully watching yesterday s preparations was one More ubiquitous Canadian a other rank quot from Brooklyn n.y., who wandered in to watch the doings. His remark was typical of the Good feeling that always has existed around the place a i be been coming up Here for two years now. It s a swell spot. But them balloons you know All my life i be had the ambition to stick a pin in one o them toy balloons and tonight by gosh i think they re Gonna let me do it a Canadian private s pay raised to $1.50 a Day help wanted department stars and stripes has been asked to help Contact pvt. Leo Mcglyn member of an armoured unit. His Cousin. Pvt. Roger Mcglyn wants Leo to write him in care of the stars and stripes printing House Square London e.c.4. Ottawa dec. 17 apr the defense department has announced higher rates of pay for Canada s private soldiers the payment of Cost of living bonuses to families of All Canadian service men and the raising of dependents allowances to the highest scale in the world. The private s pay will be raised from si.30 to $1.40 after four months service and si.50 after six months service. Similar rates will be paid in the air Force and Navy. Mothers and dependents will be allowed to earn up to s40 a month without loss of the allowance instead of s20 As at present. Allowances will be provided for As Many As six children. The program was estimated to Cost Between $30,000,000 and $35,000,000 a year. Soldiers make toys of scraps for Irish Kajj Blondie by Courtesy a f  feat res Syndicate and the London daily sketch by Chic Young Irish youngsters will j Christmas presents from convalescent Belfast dec. 17�?hundreds of toys made by convalescing american sold quot in a base Hospital were turned of the nurseries centers committee 0. Northern Ireland this week. These toys including mechanical gadgets dolls beaded bracelets and plane models will be distributed to is children under five years of age who Piir must in pah Hrie Floc re a year must spend Christmas Day m of the 17 wartime nurseries for Eva no i or High run  i Ilc tar in children throughout Ulster. Some of the articles too Complick for very Young children will be d a buted to underprivileged youngsters an appropriate age now confined in or i petals. 1 made from Odds and ends made from Odds and ends scraps 0fl leather discarded packing cases bits Spring and tin cans the toys now5 bring happiness to children who otherwise be disappointed on chess morning. Is creation of these articles originally a. Planned by maj. Paul  y0fj City in charge of an american convalescent Hospital in Northern Ireland a faced with the necessity of finding soil Means of occupying the minds of levers Hundred recuperating doughboy. A Sheldon with the assistance of 1st it James Schruefer a chaplain from More md., and a nurse 2nd it. Jui a Delafield new York City opened a Craft shop under the technical title of Oculi. Tonal therapy. The patients were even More Teuthus than the sponsors and immediately conceived the idea of turning their create efforts to building toys for Ulster s under privileged youngsters. Found scrap materials problems were plentiful from the pc. Beginning. Materials were hard to be and tools were unavailable but the men intent in their purpose gathered so lumber from packing boxes collected to cans begged leather from the shoe show and contributed their own Money to be necessary tools Art supplies paint Natii and cardboard. The More adept among their Rani shared their skills among others. H Stanley fein a former Art teacher i Brooklyn n.y., taught his companies to draw and paint. Sailors Demon Strain the complicated Art of knot tying. Nurse in their Leisure time modelled for i prospective artists. The simple scheme hatched in the Mil of maj. Sheldon worked to perfect its original purpose was accomplish Many weeks ago. The men hastened the own recovery by their work and sol since have returned to their unit. No the fruits of their labors will be enjoy by others. Nelson 0continued from Page 1 have to equal the value of All goods am services produced by the nation in year of greatest Prosperity. It will a to produce two thirds again As much in 1942. This period will Mark the third stage the nation s production for War. A stage in or. Nelson s own words quot entail an All out mobilization and centralize direction a Over Economy. The biggest problem budgeting a allocating materials and other resource to produce the greatest possible Amoun of things most needed by the unite nations at any Given time i it now Beith facilitated by the controlled Materia 1 plan announced Early in november under the cup the War products Board divides available steel Copper a aluminium among the governing agencies responsible for filling the tial military and civilian needs Oft United states and the United nations the cup goes into effect gradually or a july 1, 1943, when it becomes Throwr system by which controlled material Saf allocated. 1�?the year s ingot production 87,000,000 tons exceeding the 11 Cord by 5,000,000. 2�?the manganese Stock a e is a quate for the needs of two years a production stopped today. 3�?there is enough Magnet urn in to meet military needs for the duration 4�?the United states will be in pendent of foreign aluminium Ore in pm a by next May. It will be supp Canada s needs by next september 5�?the Copper Supply was 3.0m tons for 1942, the previous la 2,640,000 tons for last year. 6�?the total time lost by Bof Putes in War production in 1942. It ing walk outs unorganized plants 1 w outs and unauthorized strike it 3s 1 seven hundredths of one per cent the total Man Days.7�?War finance figures totals from june 1940 list the author program As of . 30. 1 .0 $64,000,000,000, against the . 301942, of $238,000,000,00 expenditures Over the same pc jumped from $ 13,800,000.0 0 $61,800,000,000. The daily a i is Pend iture sky rocketed from 5 1 to $244,500,000. Printed in England by the times publishing company limited printing House Square London , and published by the United states armed forces�?18-12-42