GROWING POWER

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 291, 9 December 1941, Page 8

GROWING POWER

DESERT OFFENSIVE British Advance Gaining Momentum British Official Wireless. Rec. 2.30 p.m. RUGBY, Dec. 8. A Cairo headquarters communique states: Throughout the whole battle area our pressure is steadily increasing. West of Bir el Gobi an enemv force of about 30 tanks and 500 motor vehicles was heavily shelled and attacked by our armoured forces about midday on Saturday, as reported in an earlier communique. In this action seven enemy tanks were destroyed and three enemy tanks and a number of mechanical transports were damaged. The enemy column withdrew to the west, still harassed by our forces. During the withdrawal, armoured car patrols of the King's Dragoons and the Guards picked up about 40 German stragglers. South of Tobruk ad towards El Adem, the centre of the enemy's resistance is being vigorously attacked. The area about Sidi Rezegh and Bir el Hamed now appears to be entirely clear of the enemy. Fighting patrols of a border regiment have been active throughout in this area. At Sidi Rezegh they found 18 modern German tanks and much'equipment, including wireless apparatus on the ground. A New Zealand divisional dressing station which had been overrun by the enemy during an attack in which they occupied Sidi Rezegh, was found and the wounded there are being evacuated as speedily as possible. A number of guns overrun by the enemy in the same action have been recovered. Armoured car patrols of the eleventh Hussars have joined hands with patrols from the Tobruk garrison. .Further east, mobile columns from the South African and New Zealand divisions have been actively scouring the area between Bardia and Tobruk north of the Trigh-Capuzzo road. A number of parties of hungry Germans have been rounded up. Large quantities of petrol, ammunition and food stores were located hidden in the Gambut area, where more enemy stragglers were found, and reserved for our own use or destroyed. , Other ( parties of our troops brought in a number of enemy antitank guns and other weapons. Other small parties of starving Germans Were found in some wadis. The total of these stragglers now captured is about 150.