IN FULL RETREAT

Grey River Argus, 20 December 1941, Page 5

IN FULL RETREAT

ENEMY IN LIBYA

Heavy Axis Losses *

DERNA DROME TAKEN

[British Official Wireless] (Rec. 1.10) LONDON, Dec. 19. British forces have occupied Derna aerodrome, but enemy forces remain in Derna. British forces captured an Italian officer, ten Italian soldiers and one German near Gazala. The Italians turned on the German and shot him dead. , _ RUGBY, December 18. In Libya important movements continue. The enemy is attempting to withdraw from Gazala, and the British are pressing hard and pushing. In view of the fact that we already have mechanised forces beyond—west of—the enemy, it is expected that their vyithdrawal will be costly. It is believed in London British advanced troops proceeded some distance beyond the Tmimi Mekili Road towards the north-west, whither the enemy presumably retreated in the direction of Derna.

To-day’s Cairo communique states: Axis forces in Eastern Cyrenaica are in full retreat. After five days’ fighting, in which all remaining German-Italian resources had been thrown into the battle to try to delay our advance, the enemy’s front has everywhere been broken. On’ 'Wednesday our !|roops polentjelsqly pursued the enemy in spite of adverse weather conditions for nearly 30 miles. By evening the main body of our infantry had reached the general line of the Tmimi Mekili Road. Details are available of coun-ter-attacks made by German lorryborne infantry, supported by all the remaining German tanks on December 13, 14, 15. The brunt of the enemy counter-attack, delivered with great determination, was borne by the Fourth Division in the centre of our lines. Although th e Germans temporarily established considerable local numerical superiority in this area, the Fourth Division beat ol± attack after attack, without giving ground. Indeed, during three days of intense fighting, in which all available German air forces were used in close support of their tanks and lorries and infantry divisions, and particularly in the last two days, the Fifth Indian Infantry Brigade actually made headway, ably backed up by battalions of the Fourth Scottish Regiment and First Punjab Regiment, who had already distinguished themselves on many previous occasions. Admirably supported by the Twenty-first Field Regiment the Royal Artillery played a decisive part in finally defeating these German counter-attacks, in which about 20 German tanks and a number of Axis aircraft were destroyed. In the course of Wednesday’s retreat of the enemy, our armoured forces operating to the flank and rear, attacked and destroyed a number of columns of mechanised .transports, including four German tanks. Throughout Wednesday’s operations, our Air Force squadrons cooperated by intensive bombing ot enemy transport columns, obtaining excellent results, particularly on a large concentration of mechanical transport at Mekili, where many vehicles were observed to be on fire. Other air formations successfully engaged detachments moving westwards along the coastal roads from R.A.F. Middle East headquarters states: “Successful attacxs were made on concentrations of enemy mechanised transport during operations on Wednesday. Numerous curect hits were obtained, and ixiucii damage was done to enemy veluc.ts, a number of which were set on lire. Bombers of the South African Air Force raided the landing ground al Barce, damaging 15 JUs2's on the ground. Other bombers attacked enemy fuel-carrying transports in. the Zuara region. Several petrol tankers were blown up and others damaged. During a raid on Benina aerodrome on December 16, direct hiwere obtained on two large enemy aircraft on the landing ground. (..m fighter aircraft were also active >n the battle area, operating in close support of the land forces. Two ME 109’s were shot down and other enemy fighters severely damaged, in addition, considerable damage was inflicted on enemy motor transport, moving along the road, between El Agheils and Gemines. The raw base at Taranto was again attacked on Tuesday night, but heavy c oud prevented observation of the Other aircraft dropped bombs m the vicinity of the naval headquarters and railway station in Brindisi. <n Sicily, the aerodromes at .Catania and Gherbini were also raided. "In the central Mediterranean, on the night of December 16-17, naval aircraft attacked an enemy merchant ship, which was escorted by a destroyer. Torpedoes struck the merchantman, which is believed to have sunk, because the destroyer later was sighted alone. “From these and other operations, seven or our aircraft are missing. The “New York Times” . praises the bold and far-reaching British attack which is now 150 miles from 11 ® starting point, and declares that lithe Axis forces lose the battle their situation will indeed be desperate. A large party of the. American held ambulance service arrived and is being attached to the British forces ill the Middle East. The majority ot the personnel is drawn from 3( American Universities and also Oxford and Cambridge. The total prisoners of war actually in Alexandria up to the morning ot December 15 was 8106 as follows: Germans, 76 officers and 2926 otner ranks; Italians, 237 officers and 4869 other ranks. On December 16, Polish and Indian troops together took about 1000 additional Italian prisoners.

AXIS AIR FORCES. BEING REINFORCED FROM. RUSSIA. (Rec. 12.40) LONDON, Dec. 19. German air reinforcements from Russia continue to appear in Libya, but the R.A.F. retains superiority.