ENEMY TAKEN BY SURPRISE

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23537, 15 January 1942, Page 5

ENEMY TAKEN BY SURPRISE

Assault on Solium ACTION BY SOUTH AFRICANS (Received January 14. 11 p.m.) (U.P.A.-8.0.W.) LONDON, Jan. 14. Contrary to all the enemy’s expectations the attack by the Transvaal Scottish Regiment which captured Solium came from the cliffs, 600 feet high, overlooking Solium, says the Cairo correspondent of the "Daily Express.” The South Africans crept to the top of the "cliffs while artillery covered their advance. The South Africans then clambered down the almost sheer cliff face. Most of the enemy retreated before the South Africans reached the bottom, but 350 Germans and Italians remained too long in the village and were captured. Three campaigns and many minor skirmishes have reduced Solium almost to rubble, he adds. The capture of Solium means that the enemy in the Halfaya Pass region is trapped and is also cut off from the seawater distilleries from which a few gallons of drinking water were extracted each day. Another message from Cairo says that the fall of Solium to the attack by the Transvaal Scottish Regiment has considerably increased the difficulties of the Axis forces in the Halfaya region. All will now be deprived of any supplies from the sea. Fierce Battle For some time there had been a trickle of deserters from Solium, mostly by night, but fierce fighting preceded its capture. The South Africans were well supported by artillery and the Royal Air Force, and they succeeded in storming the village from the plain round the harbour. The Axis garrison had been ordered to hold on at all costs because of the village’s importance to the forces at Halfaya. The importance with which the post is regarded is shown by the large percentage of Germans —rather more than half—among the prisoners taken. The German people have been told of the loss of Solium, but as a consolation they have been told that Halfaya will be held by the Italians. Rommel’s Plans Berlin claims that General von Rommel has received reinforcements from Tripoli and that he now intends to make a stand along a line from El Agheila to Marada. The ground on which it is presumed General von Rommel is to make a stand is a plain which stretches about 30 miles from the coast road and to the south of El Agheila. The plain is largely marshes and broken ground, and it may prove a difficult approach for the advancing troops. “Further effective bombing raids on objectives in Tripolitania were carried out by our aircraft during Sunday night,"’ states a Royal Air Force communique, issued yesterday. “At Buerat El Hsun fires and explosions were caused, and concentrations of enemy motorised and armoured forces to the west of Sirte were also at“At Tripoli the Spanish mole and shipping in the harbour were again bombed, but the results of the bombing could not be observed. Bombs were also dropped at Homs and at various points along the coastal road. "During yesterday enemy motorised forces east of El Agheila were attacked by our bomber aircraft and Free French bombers continued their raids on objectives at Halfaya with good results. “From these and other operations four of our aircraft are missing.”