TRAPPED IN TRIANGLE

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23494, 24 November 1941, Page 5

TRAPPED IN TRIANGLE

German Units Split MAIN PORTION ENGAGED (Received November 23, 9.30 p.m.) (U.P.A.) LONDON, November 22. Trapped in a triangle, the peaks of which are Sidi Omar, Bardia and Tobruk, General von Rommel’s situation is becoming more unfavourable every hour, and may at any moment become untenable, says the “Daily Mail’s” correspondent from British General Headquarters in the Western Desert. A military spokesman in Cairo said: “Our rapid advance to Rezegh split the German armoured units. The larger portion is in the Gambut-Fort Capuzzo area, and the smaller is south of Tobruk. We are now engaging the main portion. The weather is clearing and the battle is now occurring on ground where the going is good.” Supported by many tanks, the British forces on Friday sallied out from Tobruk with the object of joining the forces holding Rezegh. At nightfall' they had captured a position three miles south-east of the perimeter of the Tobruk defences, and were steadily progressing against heavy opposition. The British communiques are almost ignoring the Italian divisions eastwards and westwards of the perimeter. Aerial reconnaissance reveals that the Germans are trying to bring supplies and reinforcements from Crete by gliders. The correspondent of the Associated Press of America with the Bth Army says the British are employing many new devices and tactics which cannot yet be revealed. There are signs that soft landing grounds and British bombing are seriously hampering German attempts to bring air reinforcements from Crete. “We are witnessing a reversal of the situation in Greece and Crete,” the correspondent says. “The British now hold air supremacy. One of the Royal Air Force’s chief problems is to move up ground establishments and equipment fast enough to keep up with the advance, “Tomahawk fighters are giving magnificent service. Their long range is proving of great value. Hurricane fighter-bombers qre also being used. “The present tank battle is the key to the whole situation. It is going very well for l he British. The battle is raging over an area of 30 to 40 square miles. '■ German Attempts to Escape “The Germans to the east are doing their utmost to break out westwards, but they have been beaten back. The Germans, however, will fight to the last tank. “Our forces are holding back the Germans on the west, having driven a wedge between them. The tank forces were about equal at the start of the offensive. , “The Italians hitherto have played a minor role. The morale of their prisoners is very low, even lower than last year.” , , The Western Desert correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says the Tobruk garrison is agog with excitement at the prospect of imminent relief. It is making sorties to harass the enemy. British armoured columns are blasting enemy troop concentrations and transport lines. Reuter’s Cairo correspondent says that the Battle of Libya is likely to go down in history as one of the greatest battles ever for the strategy and tactics employed. All Egypt Is eagerly awaiting news of the latest phase, which, it is believed, will outshine all previous communiques. Reuter’s correspondent with the Bth Army says that on the first day of the attack the enemy concentrated a considerable force of tanks northwards of Sidi Omar, intended to defend Solium against an attack from the south and consolidate a strong line barring the British approach to Tobruk. The. enemy forces in the north-east of Libya are largely German. Therefore, it is not surprising to see them fight to the bitter end to deny us the use of Solium harbour. The spearhead of our advance was a famous cavalry regiment equipped wtih light tanks.” The United States military attache in Egypt, who travelled in a legation waggon bearing corps diplomatique number plates and .10 United States military observers, accompanied the British advance. Axis Forces Divided The British lightning advance to Rezegh put the Imperial forces astride von Rommel’s main line of retreat and supply. General Sir Allan Cunningham has apparently consolidated this thrust by rushing up his major armoured forces, establishing what a Cairo spokesman called a ring around the German forces in north-east Libya. General von Rommel is believed to have some armoured forces west of Tobruk, but the strength is unknown. The Italians, according to latest reports, are retreating to there, but possibly have since been brought to battle. Whatever the outcome; General Cunningham has apparently succeeded brilliantly in splitting the Axis forces by consolidating the wedge to Rezegh and forcing a separate engagement with the Italians at Bir el Gobi. The lightning speed of the British operations is illustrated in the capture of the Rezegh aerodrome. Fifty pilots and members of the ground staff were still on the airfield when the British rounded them up before they were aware of their plight. A dispatch from the Western Desert describes the severe trouncing of Italian tanks, 45 of which were put out of action before the British advance to Rezegh, 10 miles south-east of the Tobruk defences. The encounter occurred on Tuesday, with a concentration of Italians around Gobi. The fight was short, the British playing havoc with the Italians, who fled to the north-west with the remains of their force, with the British brigade on their heels. The latter reached a point near the Tobruk perimeter next morning. Up to this 'stage the Germans, with some exceptions, were not accepting the fight, but making off as fast as possible in the direction of El Adem, with British armoured vehicles following closely. BRITISH OFFENSIVE IN LIBYA SOVIET SPOKESMAN’S COMMENT LONDON, November 22. Commenting on the British offensive in Libya, the Soviet spokesman (M. Lozovsky) said that any blow on any front was doubtless a positive factor for both Britain and Russia. It was difficult to estimate the influence of the Libyan 'iflensive on the Russian front until the scope of the action was known. He added that the food position in Germany was grave, and that raids by the Royal Air Force had reduced the German war potential.