PUSHING FORWARD

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20825, 2 July 1942, Page 5

PUSHING FORWARD

AXIS IN_ EGYPT N.Z. TROOPS’ PART MERSA MATRUH BATTLE (By Teleftrnph—Press Ansn.—Copyriaht.) (3 pan.) LONDON, June 30. It is reported from Cairo that a strong enemy column has passed E! Daba, 90 miles from Alexandria, and is feeling its way eastward. The progress of the battle between Mersa Matruh and Fuka is described by a 8.8. C. observer on the spot as covering a greater area than any previous concentrated action in the history of the Middle East. When the enemy was engaged by British forces west of Fuka on Sunday he withdrew but advanced again and fighting is going on in the same tarea. New Zealand reinforcements joined other defending forces in the Mersa Matruh area on Friday and took up positions on the high ground surrounding the town. Next morning strong enemy armoured forces move, towards them. From their positions they dealt effectively with these with field guns and anti-tank guns and mortars and flung back five separate attacks. Our plan was to hold the ridge as long as possible and then to conform to the general scheme of gradual withdrawal. Meanwhile defending troops further east were preparing positions from which to fight. When the time came on the moonlit Saturday night for the British force to withdraw, they found the enemy Ijad surrounded them with a large number, of guns. They decided to fight their way out by cutting a gap in the eastern side of the enemy cordon.’ In the early hours they made a bayonet charge. Their attack was a surprise * and their trucks, running riose' Jto tail:, in a solid column, closely followed the' infantry out through the tank .and machine-gun fire The whole column passed through the enemy and proceeded to new battle positions. * i British air activity, the observer reports, has increased in intensity in spite of the continual movement of the battle and the loss of landing grounds. Only by showing the utmost efficiency has the Royal Air Force maintained superiority in such difficult conditions. A Rome communique states that Axis motorised forces and armoured units .repulsed further enemy armoured units’ attacks and crossed the Fuka area. The Italian air force on Monday attacked the retreating enemy.