BRITISH FORCES RETIRE

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23360, 20 June 1941, Page 7

BRITISH FORCES RETIRE

End of Big Battle

Near Solium

HEAVY AXIS LOSSES REPORTED

(TOITED PRESS ■ ASSOCIATION—COPTRIQHT.) (Received June 19, 7 p.m.) LONDON, June 18,

After a fierce battle lasting for three days, the British have retired to their forward positions in the Western Desert. They took many German prisoners and desttoyed a large number of enemy tanks and heavy guns.

The enemy endeavoured to carry out an encircling movement against the advanced British forces. This was averted by the withdrawal and, as the British manoeuvre had achieved its object of_ forcing the enemy to disclose his numerical strength, it was considered no longer necessary to hold the advanced posts. The British troops came back slowly after inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. The battle began on Sunday, when the British captured Fort Capiizzo. Hundreds of tanks and armoured vehicles were thrown into the fight. Fighter aircraft supported the British land units. In the battle. General Sir Archibald Wavell for the first time used American tanks, 100 being engaged.

A reliable profit and loss account of the battle is not yet available, but an indication of the scale of the operations and of the size of the German and Italian forces on the Egyptian frontier is given by an Italian report “that the attack by the British force comprising two armoured brigades with 1000 tanks and several mechanised infantry divisions, was met by an equally formidable counter-attack from the Axis.”

Enemy dispatches claim that the attack was aiqied at relieving Tobruk.

The Berlin correspondent of the Stockholm “Dagens Nyheter” says that General Wavell aimed to break the spearhead prepared for a German offensive. The Germans attached the greatest importance to the outcome of the battle, believing that the losers would be exhausted. Prolonged fighting was impossible because of the difficulties of supply. The battle is comparable with the hardest fighting in France last year.

An Italian communique claims that after three days’ violent fighting the battle of Solium ended in a complete success for the Axis forces. A special communique issued in Rome, states that Axis motorised units at Solium encircled the majority of the British forces south of Sidi Omar. The British attacked, using 200 tanks. A Royal Air Force Middle East communique, describing the support given by the Royal Air Force and the South African Air Force, states: “In the Western Desert yesterday our fighters repeatedly engaged enemy aircraft which attempted to attack 'our troops, and destroyed 12 Junkers 77’s, two P iat G 50’s, and six Messerschmitt 109’s. During the day they were also active, machine-gunnmg enemy motor transport on the roads in the El GazalaFort Capuzzo area, and they did considerable damage. , v.

“Our bombers carried out a number of attacks on enemy armoured cars and transport. In the Sidi Omar area bombs fell among tanks and transport,’ destroying and disabling more than 20 vehicles, and in the same area armoured cars, light tanks, and troop concentrations were shot up. “During Monday night heavy bombers attacked a number of tar. gets, hits being registered on the central mole and elsewhere in Benghazi harbour. Bombs were dropped on th* landing grounds at Derna and El’Gazala, where a number of fires were started, and at Bardia several motor' transport vehicles were set on fire and others were damaged, ' “There is nothing outstanding to ; report from other fronts. . From all operations six bf our aircraft are missing.’’'- • . » VS’-s ' f

ENEMY SHIPS SUNK

ACTIVITY BY BRITISH SUBMARINES

ATTACKS IN AEGEAN AND MEDITERRANEAN

(8.0. W.) RUGBY, June 18. Most successful activity by British submarines is disclosed in a communique issued by the Admiralty. The communique says: “Our submarines operating in the Aegean Sea report having torpedoed and sunk the Italian tanker Guiseppina Gharardi (3319 tons). They* also destroyed three caiques being used by the enemy, and an Italian schooner.

“The caiques were on their way to one of the German occupied islands in the Aegean. One was laden'with German personnel and stores, and another with drums of oil. “The Italian schooner was carrying troops, ammunition, and stores to another of the Aegean islands. “In the central Mediterranean, our submarines have also been active. A south-bound enemy supply ship of about 4000 tons was sunk. Another supply ship of about 2500 tons hnd an auxiliary sailing vessel of 500 tons, were also sunk.”

AUSTRALIA AND THE WAR

PRIME MINISTER’S

SPEECH

SYDNEY NEWSPAPER’S

COMMENT

SYDNEY, June 19. The ’‘Sydney Morning Herald,” in a leading article, says: “We have been lamentably and dangerously slow in awakening to the uncompromising realities of total war, but there need be no more vain regrets for time wasted in the past if, regardless of party or class, all Australians will now at this supreme moment rally to the call for unstinted work and sacrifice. “Privation In all but the necessaries for living will now settle upon Australia but everyone who appreciates the life and death nature of the struggle and the supreme effort needed to win it will ask nothing else of the Government than that it proceeds with all possible speed to implement the Prime Minister’s declared programme.” , . ... The “Daily Telegraph” m a leading article says; “Every Australian who believes that this war is worth winning will agree with the major principles laid down by Mr Menzies. His plans for the full mobilisation of the country’s industrial resources and for the concentration of the national effort and wealth upon war production start from the irrefutable proposition that victory will go to the nation superior in equipment. “The Government has declared war on privilege, disruption and the easy going ways of peace. It must be a ruthless and impartial war.”

Death of British M.P.—Mr Dudley Joel. Unionist M.P. for Dudley, is reported to have been killed on active service.—London, June 18.

HUNGARIAN SHIP ARRESTED

ATTEMPT TO RUN BLOCKADE

CARGO OF AUSTRALIAN FLOUR

BATAVIA, June 18. * Co-operation between the Dutch and Australian authorities and a commer* cial aviator brought about the arrest of the Huhgarian steamer, Nyugat (4323 tons), in the Timor Sea. It is revealed that the Nyugat disappeared with a cargo of Australian flour which she shipped at Fremantle for Shanghai and which was valued at £170,000. Her pro-Nazi master. Captain Zoller, ignored the course which the naval authorities allocated for him and attempted to sail to Dill, in Portuguese Timor, thence to Formosa, where he hoped to transfer the cargo to Axis interests. The captain had the Hungarian flag painted out from the ship’s side and replaced with extensive camouflaging. All this was done in 24 hours at sea.

His attempt to run the blockade, however, was short-lived, and she wa» captured by the' Dutch destroyer Kortenaer, the prize crew from which was well received by the crew of the Nyugat, a mixture of Hungarians. Jugoslavs, four negroes, and six Chinese. Captain Zoller appeared to he furious and called his crew traitors. He accused them of sabotage in hot making better speed. It was further revealed that the crew, which was bordering on mutiny, had nicknamed the captain. “Hitler," and the chief engineer “Mussolini." Members of the crew said that the captaiq had paid them in Australia with cheques' drawn on his private account in an American bank. He used the company’s money for his own purposes. Sixteen hundred United States dollars were found secreted in the clothing and luggage, of the captain’s wife, who was also on board the ship.

KING AND QUEEN AT

TYNESIDE

'LONDON, June 18.

The King and Queen to-day visited the Tyneside docks and shipbuilding yards. They talked to a technician who was on board H.M.S. King Georg* V throughout the fight with the Bismarck. He said he was working on board the ship when she was ordered to put to sea immediately In pursuit of the Bismarck, and he did not have time to get ashore. - A union official assured the King that workers in the engineering industry were 100 per cent, behind the war effort,

COST OF LIVING IN BRITAIN

(8.0. W.) RUGBY, June 18. The official cost of living figure on May 31 was 100 points above the level of July, 1914, showing no change compared with May 1. For food alone, the index figure was 70 points above the level of July, 1914, compared with 71 points on May 1, the decline being a result mainly of decreases in the prices of fish. Among items other than food, there was a slight increase in the prices «f clothing and clothing materials, partly a result of the purchase tax. Since this tax came into operation on October 21, the resulting increases in prices have raised the cost of living index figures by about five points.