BATTLE MOVES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20824, 1 July 1942, Page 3

BATTLE MOVES

ALLIED RETICENCE FIGHT FOR TIME SERIES OF CONFLICTS ORDERLY WITHDRAWAL (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Noon.) LONDON, June 30. A blanket of silence covers the vital Battle of Egypt. The only news is coming from Axis sources, except for carefully-phrased despatches from correspondents which do not reveal details ol' territorial changes. Correspondents state that the battle is raging over a wide area south-west and south-east of Mersa Matruh. The full resources of Britain’s deser.t arms, consisting of British, Allied, Dominion, and Indian forces, have been mustered and are attempting .to wear down the Italian and German strength. . To-day’s Cairo communique states: "Fierce fighting continued yesterday over a very wide area covering several hundred square miles between Mersa Matruh and Fuka. Our forces engaged a large force of enemy tanks and vehicles on Sunday to the west of Fuka and the enemy withdrew, but yesterday he advanced again and was again engaged in the same area by our forces. There was heavy fighting yesterday in . the area south of Mersa Matruh.” The Royal Air- Force communique states that the Allied air forces in the battle area continued to attack the enemy ground forces day and night. A heavy bombing raid was made west at Mersa Matruh and on Tobruk on Sunday night, the United States Army Air Corps participating. Numerous fives and hits were seen among motor transports, armoured vehicles, and enemy aircraft on the ground. Large fires were started in the harbour area at Tobruk, where an enemy supply ship received direct hits amidships. Raid on Alexandria “There was an enemy air raid on the Alexandria area on Monday night, when our night fighters destroyed one enemy bomber. From these and other operations two of our planes are missing but one pilot is safe. It is reported from Cairo that an Axis column is now advancing towards the Siwa oasis. Last night, within 150 miles o. Alexandria, the greatest armoured battle known in North Africa was sweeping backwards and forwards along the coast south-east of Mersa Matruh, says the Daily Mails Cairo correspondent. The Eighth Army was meeting the full weight of General Rommel’s drive over a wide belt of deser.t, but the main attack was confined to the coast belt. The fighting went on non-stop under .the brilliant moon. There was a whole series of separate battles rather than one big battle. The pattern was constantly changing. The battle is still in the hushhush stage. Correspondents were warned that it is intended to maintain a clam-like silence and the mention of all sorts of apparently innocent details is banned. Our battle groups—a term chosen to conceal their composition—are only in action when circumstances are' favourable. The Axis forces are more or less in the centre of the battle area and the Imperial .troops around them. Thus we are attacking inward at an enormous target in which there are many soft and vulnerable elements. The enemy is attacking outwards against our mobile units, which only do battle when circumstances are favourable. Royal Air Force Supremacy The Times’ Cairo correspondent says that the Royal Air Force supremacy is one of the most hopeful aspects. The Royal Air Force is carrying out probably the heaviest raids ever made in North Africa, concentrating in the past two days on enemy concentrations. Supply dumpshave ' been subjected to tremendous night attacks, which were facilitated by the full moon. Fighters and fighter-bombers all day attack aerodromes and other targets. Small barges attempting to reach Solium from Gazala have been shot up and heavy toll .taken. The enemy’s air attacks are not heavy and his ground forces are not receiving anything like the air support given to ours. The Daily Telegraph’s correspondent with the Eighth Army says that, facing the enemy’s admitted tank superiority, our armoured forces performed miracles in impeding the German and Italian advance. Again and again our arrhoured cars made assaults on the advancing Axis columns. We are constantly fighting for time while reserves of men and armour are being hurried up. The .British United Press correspondent with the Eighth Army reports that brand new tanks have just reached our lines. He saw them racing up from Alexandria faster than he believed tanks could travel. “The hour is critical,” he says. “It would be foolish not to acknowledge it.” The Daily Mail’s military correspondent says that the position of the eastern Mediterranean Fleet, based at Alexandria, assumes a grave aspect. We must face, the prospect of heavy raids on the port, and our fighters are unable simultaneously to beat off the Luftwaffe from Alexandria and support the desert army. Reuter’s Cairo correspondent stated that the British forces and their equipment and supplies were evacuated from Mersa Matruh on Sunday, the day before the Axis occupation. Evacuation of Mersa Matruh Mersa Matruh was never invested by the enemy and no fighting occurred in the town. Reuter’s special correspondent says that after the moonlight battle on Saturday night between enemy tanks and Allied anti-tank guns and artillery, the Allied forces at Mersa Matruh were ordered to withdraw to avoid encirclement and to link up with the main British forces, which were then . falling back to a new position. Axis troops cut the coast road eastward of Mersa Matruh on Sunday. The German High Command stated: “Mersa Matruh fell after fierce fighting in which the enemy lost heavily. The Italian and German tank army pierced the main positions south of Mersa Matruh and then pushed to the coast road, the British losing heavily ,in men and materials. The enemy forces have been split into several groups, one of which was encircled and wiped out south-east of Mersa Matruh. Another was driven back into Mersa Matruh. The German Ninetieth Light Division and also an Italian infantry corps tightened the grip around Mersa Matruh. The enemy desperately attempted to break out on Saturday night, losing more than 1000 prisoners. German dive-bombers on Sunday night dealt a heavy surprise blow and the fortress was taken early on Monday.” The Berlin radio declared that half the British garrisons from Syria and Lebanon are going to Egypt. Special detachments of British sappers are ready to blow up Alexandria’s port installations. Fleeing civilians jam the roads, from the city. The Rome radio, commenting on the fall of Mersa Matruh, said Italy realises that the road to Alexandria .s not open. It will still require heavy fighting. Messages from Rome to Zurich state that Signor Mussolini is shortly going to Libya to inspect the Italian forces,