ENEMY ROUTED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 144, 20 June 1942, Page 5

ENEMY ROUTED

BY NORTHUMBRIANS

Division Blasted Way Over

Axis Camp

British Official Wireless. Rec. 2 p.m. RUGBY, June 19. A graphic account of the fighting withdrawal of the 50th (Northumbrian) Division from the Knightsbridge area has been given by an observer broadcasting from the Libyan Desert. He states that when Bir Hacheim fell and last Saturday's tank battle left our infantry positions dangerously exposed the commander of the 50th Division decided to make his way back through the enemy.

It was a daring plan which had a o0 per cent chance of success, but the alternative was surrender or complete defeat on the spot. Two assaults, one with 11 Valentine tanks followed by infantry, and the other by infantry alone, were made on the enemy, and both were brilliantly successful. The British force managed to blast its way through the enemy lines, through camps behind over officers' messes, over trucks and trenches and over the enemy themselves. The enemy demoralisation was complete, and when day dawned, after a night of confusion, rout and despair for the enemy, the 50th Division had gone off on its long circular journey back, leaving shattered and crumpled gaps in the Axis lines where Yorkshiremen, Northumberlands and Cheshires and their comrades had gone not through but over. Widespread operations by British aircraft conducted without loss to themselves are described in an R.A.F. Middle East communique which states that fighter aircraft were active in Cvrenaica throughout yesterday, operating in close support to land forces. Two Messerschmitts were shot down. Our bombers again attacked the Gazala landing ground while at Tmimi aerodrome explosions and fires were observed among enemy aircraft. On Wednesday night our bombers also attacked aerodromes at Heraklion and Tymbaki in Crete. There has been" slight enemy air activity over Malta in the last 24 hours. One Junkers 88 was shot down by a fighter. None of our aircraft is missing.