BRITISH ATTACK

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24292, 5 June 1942, Page 3

BRITISH ATTACK

TANKS IN CONFLICT

ARTILLERY SUPPORT BATTLE IN THICK DUST LONDON, June 3 The British counter-attack designed to frustrate the enemy's attempt to widen the gap in the minefield or to to encircle the enemy east ef the gap began at dawn on Monday, says the British United Press correspondent. The 100 Axis tanks inside the British lines were then in the Sidi Muftah region. The enemy force east of the gap divided, one pnrt making an effort to drive toward Knightsbridge. The other part, making north, reached a point within a few miles of the Gazala-Tobruk road. The main tank battle is now proceeding eastward and north-eastward of the gap. The British are sending into the enemy's southern flank numbers of General Grant and Matilda tanks, supported by artillery and six-pounder antitank guns.

The correspondent of the Daily Express says that, as well as attacking directly from the east, our tanks are behind the Germans and arc moving against them from the west. This battle stretches from Knights bridge to Bir el Harmat. and westward to our main line, which runs from Gazala to Bir Hakeim. British flying columns operating outside the main lines are attacking enemy tanks engaged in protecting the supply routes. The British United Press correspondent describes n nightmare in which scores of fantastic, iron-clad monsters grope in a fog worse than a London Pea-souper. A dust blanket, churned up by the wind and the vehicles, cloaks the country in darkness, in which British and German tanks fight until human endurance gives out and the engagements are broken off. Tlie troops, with swathed faces against the dust storms, resemble flooded Bedouins. Occasionally the dust lift*, revealing hundreds of tanks and thousands of tractor-drawn guns, wheeled guns am] anti-tank guns, while oiteide the battle area hundreds of conv°rs, tanks and cannon supply lorries up to the fight. NAVY GUARDS COAST SUPPLIES FOR FORCES LOXDON, June 3 British warships and submarines and P«nes of the Fleet Air Arm are widely patrolling the Libyan coast to block *Qy German attempt to land supplies Worn the sea. B-boats and invasion barges, which on the night of May 26 to land troops between a zala and Tobruk. were caught in fire |«>m British warships tanks and artil?u Th<? ' V scattpr «' J -' ! < d fled. J he navy's "Tobruk Ferrv" is moving HPnieu and supplies and bringing back {*• bounded and prisoners. The first £ tcl > of prisoners, totalling 150, has w en landed at Alexandria. erV n rc,i « n Legi«n patrol in the West- *"! Desert carrying out a bold night J5 ra i? 10n frml Bon British prisoners *«a brought them safolv back to their iw Cattps with !i number of their Sfav Th ° patrol a,so « llccessfull y a German tank repair shop. bZ L «gion's casualties were light. per cent of the Legion- .«»& are Frenchmen.