ADVANCE IN LIBYA

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23802, 23 November 1942, Page 5

ADVANCE IN LIBYA

Contact Near Agedabia AXIS RETREAT ON EL AGHEILA (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON. Nov. 22. To-day’s Cairo communique says: “Yesterday our forward troops were again in contact with the enemy in the neighbourhood o' Agedabia. At Barce they took some prisoners, and at Benghazi released some Allied prisoners, mostly Indian troops.” The occupation of Benghazi was announced yesterday by a Cairo communique, which also reported that forward troops of the Bth Army were in contact with the enemy in the neighbourhood of Agedabia. “Rommel’s rearguard is racing to El Agheila after an engagement on the escarpment south of Benghazi, in which the enemy was hard hit by the Bth Army’s advanced units," says Reuter’s correspondent. “The enemy is laying big minefields in an effort to gain time while he takes up his positions near El Agheila. Present indications are that Rommel will not use his secondary defence line at Agedabia.” The German News Agency says that the German and Italian tank army in Libya has now taken up positions which have been long prepared and reconstructed in considerable depth. It has also been reinforced by the most modern tanks and guns. Reuter’s correspondent, in a dispatch from Cyrenaica yesterday, said: “British light armoured units made contact with enemy armoured cars, but no

serious battle resulted. Rain and wind are sweeping the desert, but there is no slackening in the Bth Army’s pursuit of the enemy.” Agency messages on Friday reported that the enemy had withdrawn from the escarpment running parallel with the coast south of Benghazi, where the enemy was earlier reported to have taken up positions protecting the coast road. , A . A German communique says that the Italian and German forces evacuated Benghazi according to plan after destroying all military installations. The Algiers radio said yesterday that the Allied army reported to be moving north from the Lake Chad district would probably attempt to 'cut the coastal road between El Agheiia and Tripoli. Tripoli Harbour Bombed Reporting air operations, to-day’s Cairo communique says; “Yesterday our heavy bombers attacked Tripoli, the targets being shipping and harbour facilities. Direct hits were scored on moles and warehouses, causing explosions and fires. A partially sunk merchantman in the harbour was seen to be on fire. . “Bad weather hindered flying over Cyrenaica yesterday.” "Airforce squadrons are already established on a series of landing grounds near Derna,” says a Cairo message. “Ahead of the whole of the advancing Allied air forces have travelled small bodies of experts whose job is to clear landing grounds and make them serviceable. They have had to deal with mines, crashed aircraft, and boobytraps, and their work has been of such a high order that the advance of Allied air forces has never been hindered. “Within the last few days Allied fighters have taken a heavy toll of the large transport aircraft which the enemy is using in a desperate effort to keep his retreating forces supplied with badly needed petrol. In one day seven Junkers 52's were destroyed in the air and three on the ground, and more than a score of miscellaneous aircraft damaged by ground strafing. Most of these were large transportcarriers loaded with petrol. South African squadrons secured the biggest bag on this occasion, shooting down six Junkers 52’s. On the same day they destroyed three Junkers on the ground and damaged a number of Messerschmitt 109's and Heinkel Ill’s on the ground.” Damage at Benghazi Benghazi harbour is unrecognisable after repeated Royal Air Force bombings. according to a Royal Air Force pilot who has returned to Cairo. There is a 60-foot gap along the eastern arm of the outer mole, and another great gap on the western end of the south- , ern mile. The pontoon bridge at the extreme end of the central mole has received direct hits, and a ship in the harbour has been burning for four days. The oil depot tanks have been demolished. There has been no great change in the town itself. The present British occupation of Benghazi suggests comparison of the speed of the three advances to the port. General Wavell, starting from Mersa Matruh, took 50 days to enter Benghazi. General Auchinleck, from the frontier, needed 35 days; and now General Alexander, from El Alamein, which is a far greater distance, has taken 28 days. An account of how Marshal Rommel organised his retreat has been given by a South African pilot who was captured by the Germans and has since been released by the British. Marshal Rommel stood up in an open car and drove up and down the coast road, he said. Every time he passed he was pointed out by the Germans. The South African described Marshal Rommel as a "rough-faced man with an expression of sheer arrogance.”