8th ARMY’S ADVANCE

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23801, 21 November 1942, Page 5

Bth ARMY’S ADVANCE

Progress South Of Benghazi R.A.F. ATTACKS ON COAST ROAD (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 11 p.m.) ' LONDON, Nov. 20. "The Bth Army continued Its advance yesterday north and squth of Benghazi,” says to-day’s Cairo communique. It adds that 28 enemy tanks, 24 guns, and 250 motor vehicles were captured or destroyed during the advance from Martuba, Advance patrols of the Bth Army are reported to be within sight of the sea south of Benghazi, at a point north of Antelat, The Cairo correspondent of the “Dally Mail” says: “Benghazi may already be in British hands. The Axis commander is trying to get all the troops, equipment, and stores he can round the, bend to El Agheiia. He is destroying all the material he is unable to move. “Allied mechanised unite are progressing west rapidly along the El Msus desert track. The Axis is unable to give aiy protection to its troops on the coastal road south of Benghazi, and the enemy is suffering heavily from Royal Air Force attacks. Royal Air Force fighters yesterday flew at a height of only 25 feet to make sure of their victims,” The Cairo communique reports smallscale enemy air activity over Cyrenaica yesterday. A Junkers 88 and a Messerschmitt 110 were shot down by Allied fighters. One British column on Wednesday fought an action against the enemy on the escarpment between Sceleidima, 50 miles south-east of Benghazi, and Antelat. 30 miles south of Sceleidima. The escarpment runs north and south about 20 miles inland from the coast between Benghazi and Agedabia. It is not known whether it was a serious clash, but it is believed that it was part of an enemy rearguard delaying action.

The enemy presumably has formed a defensive position along the escarpment in order to protect his transport moving along the coastal road. Reuter’s correspondent in Cairo declares that signs now point to an attempt by Marshal Rommel to evacuate as many German troops as he can from Tripoli. He is rushing as many men as possible towards this base, but he will probably leave strong rearguards between Benghazi and El Agheila to delay the British advance and give him time to get away. . . The continued success of the British pursuit in Libya is shown by the mention of contact with the enemy south of Benghazi. Evidently the column which is moving inland through Bir Hacheim, Mekili. and El MsUs, has made rapid progress, and it seems likely that it has reached the coastal area round about Soluk. No mention is made of contact with the enemy along the coast north-east of Benghazi. Any enemy forces which were in that area may have been cut off by the rapidity of the British advance, but this is not taken for granted. Speed of Pursuit So far the pace and pressure of the pursuit have been maintained to a remarkably satisfactory degree, 'l- - the speed of the chase has far outstripped any before known, even in the desert. The Bth Army staff has had to perform a difficult task in keeping contact with the enemy without letting its own light advanced forces suffer a check. The' maintenance of contact and the cutting off of the retreat of the defeated forces is particularly arduous when the enemy s sole objective is, as it evidently is at present, to escape and abandon the entire province. .... j How Marshal Rommel is being deprived of his much-needed oil is described by a Cairo correspondent, who gives an account of the sinking of an enemy tanker by an aerial torpedo in the Mediterranean. The correspondent says that duriqg the ceaseless watch which the Roydl Air Force maintains over the central Mediterranean a convoy was located making at great speed towards Tripoli. It was a tanker convoyed by destroyers, and the British aircraft attacked after dark, illuminating the target with flares. Naval aircraft carrying torpedoes went straight in to attack, in spite of intense fire from the destroyers, and two torpedoes hit the tanker amidships, causing terrific explosions. None of the aircraft was damaged, and within 10 minutes the tanker had heeled completely over, with oil pouring out of her. Broadcasting from Cairo, a Royal Air Force officer said that at least 500 German and Italian aeroplanes had so far been found destroyed on captured enemy airfields.

THREE JOURNALISTS “OCCUPY” DERNA

ENTRY INTO ABANDONED TOWN (Rec. 9 p.m.) LONDON. Nov. 19. Three journalists occupied the Libyan coast town of Derna on November 16. The enemy blew up the road leading from the escarpment to Derna, thus preventing cars from proceeding to the town. A young armoured car commander told the journalists: “I would like to walk down, but the commander' has refused permission. The town is yours if you want it.” The journalists walked down to the outskirts of Derna then drove into the town aboard an ancient onehorse buggy. They were enthusiastically saluted by Senussi Arabs, mahy of whom gave the Fascist salute from force of habit. The journalists ran up a makeshift Union Jack, tossed a picture of Mussolini from the balcony of the Mayor’s room, and Derna again formally entered Allied hands.

EGYPT’S FUTURE INTERESTS

ASSURANCE GIVEN BY BRITAIN (8.0. W.) RUGBY. Nov. 19. Opening the Egyptian Parliament today King Farouk said that Egypt’s interests would be safeguarded when hostilities ceased and peace negotiations began. He read a letter from the British Ambassador (Sir Miles Lampson) giving that assurance and slating that the British Government would use its good offices with the object of ensuring Egypt’s equal footing- at the peace negotiations which might directly affect its interests. Moreover the British Government would not in the course of the negotiations discuss any question directly affecting Egypt’s interests without consultation with the Egyptian Government. ,