HALF DESTROYED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20621, 24 November 1941, Page 5

HALF DESTROYED

GERMAN TANKS FAILURE OF COUNTERS THREE DRIVEN BACK (British Official Wineleas.) Reed. 9 a.m. RUGBY, Nov. 22. Fully half of the German tanks in the Libyan battle have been put out of action. This. is authoritatively estimated fn Cairo, according to press messages received in London. The Germans have carried out three separate attacks, and on each occasion they have been beaten back, their tank losses being substantially heavier than those of the British in a ratio of three to one. After the attacks the Germans withdrew and were then trying to force a way through with very reduced numbers. The rapid British advance to Rezegh has apparently divided the German armoured forces into two. The Imperial Army is now engaged with the main portion of a German armoured division, and it is considered that the Germans will be very fortunate to get through. The main battle is proceeding 45 miles west of Capuzzo with the enemy trying to get away westwards. Initiative Maintained The initiative throughout has remained with the British. General Cunningham set out to destroy the German armoured forces, and he is doing it. An agency message from Melbourne quotes the Australian Commander, General Sir Thomas Blarney, as saying that the destruction of half of the enemy’s effective attacking strength means that Britain has won the land battle on which the result of the whole offensive hinges. Informed quarters in London interpret the Cairo statement that half the German tanks have already been destroyed as meaning half of the total German tanks in the field in North Africa.

The First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. G. V. Alexander, opening Surbiton warships week, said that although he was not able to give any information about the fighting in Libya additional to that already received from Cairo, he could confirm from such signals as he had received that things were “going very well.”