ENEMY BESIEGED AT HALFAYA

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23536, 14 January 1942, Page 5

ENEMY BESIEGED AT HALFAYA

Strong Positions To Be Reduced TASK FOR ALLIED AIR FORCES (Received January 13, 10 p.m.) (U.P.A.-8.0.W.) LONDON, Jan. 12. A message from Cairo says it is authoritatively stated that the enemy’s positions in the Halfaya region are exceptionally strong. One position is centred on a deep, winding gully which splits the face of the escarpment. The gully’s head at the top of the escarpment and its mouth, where it debouches towards the sea, are covered by an elaborate system of strong points and minefields. The gully’s average depth is *SOO feet, and its precipitous sides are honeycombed with caves and dug-outs capable of holding thousands of men. Probably nearly 8000 men are lurking in the gully. To storm the gully would be costly, because it is defended by countless guns and machine-guns. The task of reducing the garrison has thus been allocated to the air forces. It is impossible to bomb the caves and dug-outs, but the bombing-is doing considerable damage to the defences, and the defenders are being given little opportunity of emerging from their holes. Day by day, Royal Air Force and Free French bombers are maintaining the attack on the Axis forces isolated in Halfaya, states an Air Ministry bulletin. At times the weather, with rain and sandstorms intervening, has not been favourable, but this has brought little respite to the beleaguered garrison, which has been given few opportunities of emerging from its dugouts and trenches. \ Considerable Damage An unremitting bombing of enemy positions has been carried out from varying heights, and although observation at times has been difficult, it is known that considerable damage has been inflicted on ammunition dumps, gun emplacements, anti-aircraft batteries, pill-boxes, dug-outs, and mechanical transport, and what is believed to be the headquarters of the garrison. On two occasions, a succession of heavy explosions indicated that sticks