DRIVE AT TOBRUK

Grey River Argus, 16 June 1942, Page 5

DRIVE AT TOBRUK

AXIS "COME-BACK” Main Forces Yet to Fight SUNDAY’.S ALL DAY TANK BATTLE LONDON, June 14. On Sunday there was a fierce tank battle continuing in the region between Acroma (south-west of Tobruk) and El Adem (south-east of Tobruk). The British line runs south from El Gazala (west of Acroma). There the line runs east, and links up with the British position north of the Knightsbrioge “box.” There it runs to the El Adem “box.” , j Marshal Von Rommel hurled a large number of his remaining tanks against Acroma from two directions, one from the west and the other from the south-west, reports Reuter’s correspondent in Libya. The battle is proceeding in the worst dust storm for weeks. Rommel is seemingly trying to smash the Allied armoured units before launching a serious drive against the Tobruk perimeter. The Allied tanks are hitting back ferociously. Another report states: Some ot me German armoured units, after being repulsed at El Adem, detoured north-eastward,- then swung westward to Acroma. A fierce tank battle is going on in the region oetween Acroma? and Bir Beletiar, which is just west of the Knightsbridge box. , x . ~ “The Times” correspondent in tne Western Desert says-: This battle is likely to be one of the most important in the whole campaign. The Libyan correspondent of ine Times” on Friday said: “Informed opinion here does not minimise tne heavy task still facing the Bth Aimj, but satisfaction is expressed with the way things are going. There are extremely heartening reports about our tank strength, and far larger numbers than were expected are- reported to be again ready for battle. T. he enemy in the first stage of his thrust towards Tobruk, advanced three strong columns between Bir Hachiem and Bir el Harmat. •Bir el Harmat is about six miles south-west of Knightsbridge and the Devil’s Cauldron, and about 40 miles from Tobruk. Part of the enemy s considerable force has been released from the Cauldron where it had been contained since the failure of the first attempt to reach Tobruk. Marshal Rommel apparently attempted to outflank the British positions at Knightsbridge. About 110,000 Italians and Germans are massed in this areaThe British United Press correspondent in the Western Desert, reporting on. the fighting in the past two days says: We threw in Grants and Valentines against the Italian and German armoured forces at Bir Beleffar on Friday. The battle continued after dark. The skyline was lit with burning enemy tanks. Marshal Rommel brought up reinforcements and the battle went on on Saturday. British and Italian and German tanks were mixed up in a general melee. Eastward of this battle. German armoured units and artillery moved up on the escarpment on the line a few miles east of Bir Beleffar, to a few miles east of El Adem. Grouped on this line are the bulk of the Fifteenth and Twenty-first Panzer Divisions, also Ninety-eighth Light Division, backed by a tremendous gathering of motor transport Rommel apparently plans to get the Fifteenth Panzer Division across the coast road, east of Tobruk. On Saturday afternoon, when a dust storm abated, a tank battle began between British and Axis forces. It raged until darkness, according to a British correspondent’s report from the Western Desert. It was resumed on Sunday morning, south of Acroma, where opposing armoured forces were occupying practically the same positions as before the battle commenced. Infantry were engaged east of El Duda and north of El Adem, but at no point were the Axis forces, composed of Germans, able to cross the main road. There was no fighting at Gazala but to the south of the town a British division attacked an Italian position on the western side of the Cauldron.

Reuters Cairo correspondent says: Enemy infantry are still holding positions along the Trigh Capuzzo escarpment, wherefrom they are lobbing shells in the general direction of Tobruk hoping to interfere with the Allied transport columns, but they have not yet achieved *any success. German wheeled columns are still trying to harass Ritchie’s supply routes in the El Adem area, but British columns are attacking them with excellent results. The Alliefct stronghold at Knightsbridge has not yet been seriously attacked, and is receiving adequate supplies. All is quiet on the Gazala line, except for South African-British infantry expeditions against Italians. A British official communique from headquarters on Sunday stated: — Severe fighting developed on Saturday afternoon, between our and the enemy armoured forces in the area to the south of Acroma. Both forces were still in this area at the end of the day. Our mobile forces operating from the south in the rear of the enemy destroyed a number of vehicles and took some prisoners. One of our columns in the El Adem area shelled an enemy column, and forced it to withdraw southwards. A column from the Fifteenth Division attacked an Italian position west cf Meteifel, and drove the enemy "from forward positions.

Sunday’s Tank Battle

CONTINUED ALL DAY. (Rec. 7.30) LONDON, June 14, Reports which are reaching Cairo from the front say that the armoured battle did not cease throughout Sunday in the Acroma —Knightsbridge'—El Adem triangle. No new movements had been reported. There are no grounds for supposing that the enemy’s threat to Tobruk had seriously inrreased in the last twentyfour hours.

ROMMEL’S TACTICS,

. MAIN TANK FORCES YET TO CLASH. (Rec. 7.10) LONDON, June 14. The “Daily Mail’s’’ correspondent in the Western Desert says: General Ritchie’s main armoured forces are expected to clash with Marshal Von Rommel’s full tank strength at any hour. For nearly two days preliminary sparrings have been going on all over the desert. So far, only the edges of the opposing armoured forces have grated against each other. The fighting has occasionally blazed into major proportions, but it has died down again. “Marshal Rommel is dictating the moves in this game. He has initiated a series of tactical manoeuvres, which anpear to be complicated and confused, but they certainly have a high definite purpose.” ROMMEL’S “COMEBACK.” (Rec. 7.10) LONDON, June 14. The “Daily Mail in a .leading article says: Marshal Von Rommel is mak«

ing a push which bears all of the signs of a comeback. He has turned tiie British flank. He has forced us upon the defensive. THE GERMAN REPORT LONDON, June 14. A German communique states:— “Operations in North Africa are taking a favourable course.” Five British parachutists are included in the latest list of prisoners of war in Italian hands.

BIR HACHEIM BATTLE

FOUR BRITISH BRIGADIERS. REPORTED CAPTURED. LONDON, June 14. According to the Norwegian radio, the Germans captured Brigadier Generals Stephens, Wanstead, Butcher, and Valantine during the fighting around Bir Hacheim. A message from Cairo soys that the Free French Commander, General Keonig is safe’ and well. A warm tribute to 'the Free French forces which defended Bir Hacheim is paid in a special statement issued at Cairo. “The withdrawal of the Ist Preen French Brigade from Bir Hacheim was successfully completed on Wednesday night,” says the statement. “Having regard >to the continuous severe fighting in which the brigade was engaged for 16 days, the casualties were light. It is known that the enemy’s plan included the capture of Bir Hacheim by May 27 by the Arieta Division. This plan failed because of the splendid resistance of the garrison, who repulsed the enemy with fceavy losses. The achievements of the Ist Free French Brigade during this period include the probable destruction of 70 Axis tanks. Heavy losses of men and material were inflicted on the Germans and the Italians, and the garrison recaptured from the enemy more than 1000 of our own troops. For more than two weeks this small force fought off the German 90th Light Division and the’ Italian motorised Triete Division. They repulsed a number of attacks by German and Italian tanks, and completely upset the enemy’s, plan. The United Nations owe a very great debt of gratitude and admiration to 'the Ist' Free French Brigade.” The French National Committee issued the following statement, in connection with the reported German threat to Free French troops made prisoners at Bir Haoheim. ine Spokesman of the German Foreig Office is reported to have stated r French soldiers made pri s op. ers ~ ing the glorious battle of Bir Hac eim, are to be treated as . tireurs. Until notice to the trary, General de Gaulle and ' French National Comrmttee nrooathis statement as intended for p P ganda. However, should the oe man Army carry ° ut Jihe threa ,Ge era! de Gaulle Md serve the right of taKing ■ off p measures as reprisals on ma x prisoners fallen into the hands The h London “Times” correspondent in Libya on Friday epo^d^ aeJbe delivered from the Cauldron area. No other consideration could allow us to weaken ourselves there. the obstinate stand by the Free French caused a division of G erl " a ?. and thus played a vital part m tne whole battle. Bir Hadheim in the effort expended and losses inflicted to the Axis, is comparable with lobruK. It is estimated that the French knocked out 50 to 70 tanks, and prob ably a similar number of aeroplanes and many guns, armoured cars and motor transport? “The Times” says: Rommel lost heavily at Bir Hacheim in the process of obtaining a more favourable situation, but he has in fact achieved it and the present offensive for this reason is considerably more dangerous than its predecessor. Thus far, our armoured forces have been able to inflict losses and harass the enemy, and sometimes deflect him, but not to stop him. (