South Africans' Valiant Stand

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 280, 26 November 1941, Page 7

South Africans' Valiant Stand

HEAVY ODDS DEFIED

Libyan Advance Stows Down; Thousands More Captured

(U.P.A. and British Official Wireless.—Rec. 1 p.m.) LONDON, November 25. The tank battle in Libya is losing its intensity and infantry is coming more into action, tending to slow down the speed of the advance, says the military spokesman in Cairo. Although the number of enemy planes has increased, there is no evidence of the arrival of fresh German troops. Both sides are using field artillery at Sidi Rezegh. The infantry casualties are no more than can be expected in such a battle. Informed London circles state that the battle of Libya is still raging. The position is still very confused. A dispatch from an agency correspondent at the advanced headquarters of the Eighth Army states that yesterday fighting on the land and in the air went on all day long in the region south of Sidi Rezegh. An attempt by a German squadron to make a sweeping movement was checked after a hard encounter by a brigade of English field artillery holding the right wing. In the course of numerous engagements South African and New Zealand infantry supported their own tank units and valiantly did their part. Late at night the battle continued unabated without result. The Cairo communique states that intensive fighting between German and British armoured forces continued in the area about Sidi Rezegh. Reinforcements which reached the area were yesterday also involved in the fighting. The South Africans who were first to be deployed, sustained a heavy attack by German lorryborne infantry, supported by tanks. The South Africans, who were heavily outnumbered in a particular sector for which they were responsible, fought with magnificent courage until British armoured forces put in a counterattack, which eventually drove off the German tanks with heavy losses. New Zealanders Advancing On Tobruk Meanwhile New Zealand forces, supported by British tanks, have been continuing their advance towards Tobruk along the general line from Capuzzo. Throughout its course this battle has been very heavy. On both sides ground has been given and regained only after bitter fighting, in which the main object has been the destruction of the opposing armoured units. The tank casualties have been heavy on both sides, but owing to the nature of the fighting it is as yet impossible to estimate what actual losses have been inflicted or sustained.

The British forces which sallied from Tobruk have consolidated the positions gained and have captured over 2000 prisoners, of whom about half are Germans.

In the frontier area over 1 000 prisoners have been already taken and many more are coming in. Meanwhile, in the southern sector of the battle area mobile Empire forces from Jarabub have made considerable progress, and the troops of the sth Indian Division have captured Augila, near Jalo. During the day the Empire air forces maintained their air superiority, continuously bombing the German forces and concentrations, and mechanical transport, on which many casualties were also inflicted by low-flying fighter attacks. The co-operation between the army and the air forces has been of the highest order, and the assistance afforded by the Royal Navy has also been most successful.