STIFF FIGHTING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 41, 28 November 1941, Page 6

STIFF FIGHTING.

THE LATEST

FACING THE NEW ZEALANDERS.

NINETEEN PLANES CAPTURED.

GERMANS AT GAMBUT SURPRISED.

(United Press Association—Copyright.) (Rue, 1.0 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 27. The' New Zealanders in the Skh Rezegh area face stiff fighting, says the military spokesman at Cairo. Only ad* vaiiced units of both New Zealanders and the Tobruk forces have thus tar joined up and enemy pockets remain between .the main forces,, for which reason it is too early to say that Tobruk has been relieved. The New Zealanders’ drives from Oapuzzo through (Gambut and along the coast, met bitter opposition from German tanks and infantry, which took heavy toll of men and machines.. Dead and wounded, and wrecked tanks and lorries from both sides, littered the desert over 100 square miles. The -lyetf Zealanders throughout these operations closely followed up the tanks but when the tanks engaged in running fights the New Zealanders moved on alone against German artillery and machinegun posts dug deep into the desert. The junction with Tobruk forees occurred before dawn to-day when British tanks sighted a battle formation ot tanks ahead. Identification was difficult in the grey light and both sides manoeuvred warily until dawn revealed that all were British.

When they eaptured Gambut the New Zealanders completely surprised the Germans, who thought their tanks had smashed up the British miles away. The New Zealanders captured Messersehmitts and their crews on the Gambut aerodrome.