LIBYAN BATTLE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20627, 1 December 1941, Page 7

LIBYAN BATTLE

CONFIDENCE FELT BRITISH PUSH ON COURAGEOUS DEEDS SOUTH AFRICAN TROOPS (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 2.40 p.m. RUGBY, Nov. 28. “Viewed all round the situation inspires confidence,” said a military spokesman in Cairo to-rtight, “but it must be emphasised that we are not out of the heavy fighting and will not be for a long time. The enemy still has'a large number of German infantry and guns at his disposal.” An expert commentator in London, referring to the British Headquarters communique issued in Cairo, said this afternoon that to the east of Tobruk there remains various pockets of enemy resistance which are being engaged. There is no evidence that the German armoured forces, were to the east of Tobruk, have broken out in any direction. It now appears that the British have formed quite a distinct line which is moving in a westerly direction against the considerable main Axis forces which have always been to the west of Tobruk. 14 Men Take 600 Prisoners Fourteen men—the only surviving members of one company of a British county regiment—with one tank and one 3in. mortar captured 600 Germans. Their feat was one of. many heroic incidents in the capture of Sidi Omar Nuovo.

During the attack a battalian of Bren gunners left their carriers 400 yards from the defences and advanced on foot. A minefield 80ft. deep blew up several tanks, killed two company commanders and injured a third, but the men pressed on unhesitatingly, sometimes ahead of the tanks.

A corporal who was wounded several times continued to lead a setion until he was too weak through loss of blood to stand. He then gave covering machine-gun fire, while the section silenced an enemy machinegun post. A platoon commander, wounded in both knees, staggered to his feet and went on until he was shot in the head within 15 yards of the enemy. The remainder of the men captured the trenches which were the platoon’s objective. Strong-post after strongpost fell to other units, including the heroic 14 and by dusk the fortress was captured. Italian in Command A Rome spokesman announced that the appointment of the Italian, General Hector D’Astico, in supreme command of all the Axis forces in Libya, including General Rommel's force, is officially announced. A Pretoria report says that the sth South African brigade’s casualties at Sidi Rezegh do not exceed 1200. Men are still escaping, for which reason the final figure may be much smaller. The Times’ correspondent with the Eighth Army says that some of the most heroic actions of the campaign thus far have been fought by. the Fifth South African Brigade which, after inflicting heavy damage on the enemy, was finally overrun last Saturday by a strong tank attack. The brigade advanced to attack Sidi Rezegh aerodrome wHich the Germans had recaptured the previous day, but encountered such terrific artillery, mortar and. machine-gun fire that it was withdrawn after suffering heavy casualties. The brigade was quickly reformed, but was suddenly attacked by German tanks seven abreast and 10 deep.' *The South Africans’ field guns and anti-tank guns fired until their ammunition was exhausted, knocking out one tank after another, but still tfie Germans came on. Riflemen were helpless and were being rounded up as prisoners wheti some British tanks broke through. They were not strong enough to turn defeat into victory, but their intervention enabled a considerable number of South Africans to escape. Division Eliminated The Italian Bologna Division holding positions east of Tobruk has been practically eliminated, according to an agency message which adds that heavy fighting continues in the Sidi Rezegh area and an engagement is expected with an enemy armoured column, mostly Italian, seen moving westward 30 miles south of Tobruk. Shot down by German troops and captured, a lieutenant in a, squadron of naval aircraft escaped When Blenheim bombers of the Royal Air Force carried out an attack on a column conveying him westwards. The pilot returned to his base with a tank corp officer who escaped with him. “I was flying out to identify a column of motor transport when I was fired upon and badly hit. I crash-landed. I knew I was ‘in the bag.’ “The Germans took me in a car with a British tank corps officer under charge of a German officer and for three hours we headed west. Then Blenheims attacked us. It was very good but highly unpleasant. Bombs rained down on the column, hitting trucks and lorries. To make way for the wounded we were turned out of the car and in the resulting confusion of the raid, despite the number of Germans still around us, we walked away and lay down in some camel thorn. What was left of the column moved away without us, and we started walking south. I reached my squadron on Wednesday night. Now I know what an attack by our bombers is like.”