LIBYAN REVERSE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20622, 25 November 1941, Page 9

LIBYAN REVERSE

STIFF BATTLES WAGED BRITISH CONFIDENCE (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Nov. 24, 3 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 23. The British United Press’ correspondent with the Bth Army says the British have so far taken prisoner nearly 15,000 Italians and Germans. Very stiff fighting is raging around Sidi Rezegh, which has changed hands several times. The Cairo correspondent of the Exchange Telegraph agency says it is now learned that the Tobruk defenders, sallying out on Thursday, took prisoner 1100 Italians and Germans. The Times reveals that English and Polish troops with tanks were gradually transported to Tobruk before the offensive, permitting the bulk of the Australians to be withdrawn “for a short, well-earned rest.” All the Axis armoured divisions, including the Italian, are now believed to have been thrown into the Battle of Libya, says a Cairo message. The Germans, in the absence of reserves, appear to be staking everything on beating the British at Sidi Rezegh and then proceeding westward to new positions,, but the viewpoint strongly held in military circles in Cairo is that General Cunningham and his men are slowly but surely winning. For the moment attention is focussed on Sidi Rezegh, and the complementary infantry engagement which began this morning in the region south of Tobruk, but it is pointed out that even the stiffest German resistance here does not preclude progress by other British forces elsewhere in Libya, and drives which hitherto have merely been mentioned in communiques will possibly produce important results at any moment. Fort Capuzzo Ringed The New Zealanders encircled Fort Capuzzo on the first day of the battle after crossing the frontier immediately south of Capuzzo, says The Times’ Cairo correspondent. Indian troops at the coastal end of the line simultaneously crossed the frontier and got behind the enemy’s forts north Of Capuzzo. Major-General Mackesy, writing in the Daily Telegraph, says the New Zealanders’ capture of Fort Capuzzo constitutes a great feat of arms, involving the complete encirclement of this strong point in the rear of the Halfaya and Sidi Omar positions. The New Zealanders continue to advance towards Gambiit, the capture of which will deprive the Axis of a big fuel supply cferitre and also one of Libya’s best aerodromes. The Royal Air Force maintains the air mastery, continuing unceasing day and night attacks, bombing, shelling and machine-gunning enemy troops, tanks and transport and constantly interrupting the supply lines. Axis air Opposition has increased, despite further rains in, the coastal areas , haihpfering operations.- * *r Command in, the Air One of the strikihg features of the present operations in the Western Desert which has been remarked in London is the weakness of the air opposition Which has so fdr fated the Imperial air fOrtes. There appears to have been no attempt to dispute oiir supremacy in thfe air. It is reported from Cairo that the enemy air activity, which during the first two days, possibly as a result of the heavy rainstorms which occurred in the coastal region and which may have bogged their aircraft, was negligible has recently been on a larger scale. Cairo reports estimate that 75 enemy planes have been destroyed with a further 19 probably destroyed. The Imperial air losses are given as 19 with some pilots safe and the possibility of some machines being made serviceable again. The Rome radio to-day declared: “Violent fighting continues in North Africa. It is going in favour of the Axis. We took a British general prisoner.”