ROMMEL ADVANCES

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXX, Issue 13669, 17 June 1942, Page 3

ROMMEL ADVANCES

FIGHTING IN LIBYA Allied Withdrawal Powerful Barrier To Protect Tobruk London, June 16. A Cairo communique states that General Ritchie has now completed fresh dispositions of his army, which include the withdrawal of our forces from the area of El Gazala on the coast west of Acroma. General Ritchie is now ready for the next big enemy thrust, and has formed a powerful barrier to protect Tobruk. The position which we held at Knightsbridge has also been evacuated, and the communique states that since our forces were regrouped the enemy operations have met with no success whatever. Our positions at Acroma and El Adem are very strongly held, and so long as these continue to stand the enemy cannot reach Tobruk. All the latest enemy attacks on these positions have met with failure. After several hours’ fighting in the neighbourhood of El Adem, th,e enemy retreated from our positions in something approaching disorder. In the air our planes are carrying on with their policy of attacking enemy supply bases in the west and the destruction of enemy tanks and transport vehicles. Further attacks have been made on Benghasi and Berka and also on Heraclion in Crete. General Catroux, leader of th.e Free French forces in the Levant, has met General Koenig, who commanded the Free French defenders of Bir Hakeim, and has congratulated him on the great stand made there by his men. It is announced that Free French forces are being treated, if captured by the enemy, as ordinary prisoners of war.