OBJECT GAINED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23996, 20 June 1941, Page 8

OBJECT GAINED

ACTION IN DESERT

INFORMATION SECURED

AMERICAN TANKS USED

HEAVY ENEMY LOSSES B.v Trleifra|ili - Press Association—Copyright LONDON, .7tine 10

In the big tank battle in the Western Desert General .Sir Archibald Wavell for the first time used American tanks, too of which wore engaged. A reliable profit and loss account of the battle is not yet available, but an indication of the scale ot the operations and the size ot the German and Italian forces on the Egyptian frontier is given in an Italian report which says "that, an attack by a British force comprising two armoured brigades, with 1000 tanks and several mechanised and infantry divisions, met. an equally formidable counter-attack from the A vis."

Kueiity despatches claim that the attack wa.- aimed at relieving Tobruk. The Stockholm Dagens Nyheters Berlin correspondent sa.vs Genera! Wavell aimed to break the spearhead prepared lor a (unman olleiisive. 'I lie Germans attached the greatest importance to the outcome of the battle, believing that the losers would be exhausted. Prolonged lighting is impossible because ot the difficulties ot supply. Ihe battle ■was comparable with the hardest lighting in Prance last year > Attacks Repulsed A communique issued at headquarters in Cairo states that in Libya on Tuesday afternoon Imperial troops repulsed several attacks. The enemy brought up fresh forces with which they attempted an encircling movement against the British forward troops. "As we bad accomplished the object of forcing the enemy to disclose his strength and of inflicting heavy casualties, on hiiu, we withdrew slowly to our forward positions." added the eotninuu!!| lie. "We brought back several hundred Gorman prisoners and destroyed a large number of enemy tanks and guns." Preponderance of Tanlis A ILnne communique claims that after three days of violent lighting the battle of Solium has ended in a complete success for the Axis forces. Axis inotorised forces at Solium encircled tin* majority ot the British forces southward ot Sidi Omar. Ine British attacked. using -00 tanks. Tanks predominated in the battle lielwoeti Imperial and (lei'iiiaii uitd 'ltalian troops around Fort Capuzzo. 'This is the first time Italians have been mentioned. The battle raged in terrific heat m ■which it was hardly possible for the infantry to carry out marches ot any great distance. '' Active Air Support The I'oy a I Air Force Middle Fast communique states: —I be Royal Ait Puree and South African aircraft con-1 tinned'to give active support to operations liv the ground forces m the Western' Desert on Tuesday. Our fighters repeatedly engaged enemy aircraft which attempted to attack troops, and destroyed 12 Junkers 77's. two Capxoni 50 s and six Mcssersehmitt 100 s. During the day they were also active in machine-gunning enemy motor transport on the roads in the Gazala and Capuzzo area, and did considerable damage. . , , "Our bombers carried out a number of attacks on enemv armoured cars and transport. fn the Sidi Omar area bombs fell among tanks and transport, destroying or disabling more than vehicles, and in the same area armoured cars and light tanks and troop concentrations were shot up.' So efficient were the Hritish au patrols that on Monday afternoon there was almost a complete absence ot German lighters and bombers. ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY IMPORTANCE OF PROJECT SHIP-BUILDING AREA LONDON. June U) A Washington message states that Colonel Frank Knox, Secretary ol the Ixavv, testifying before the House of ]{epresentatives' Rivers and Harbours Committee, said they were going to live in a disturbed world for a long time and urged approval of the St. Lawrence seaway, which would be ot immense importance in maintaining an „\meriea.n advantage on the high setts The building of new ships there would he in a reasonably sate area. Colonel Knox also announced yester<|v that naval reserve officers now sprvin" in the merchant marine inav be ordered on active duty without their consent.. Naval recruiting officers had been instructed to recruit 15.000 men monthly. Colonel Knox explained that this would not conflict with the merchant marine unnecessarily, but t.he navv's urgent need must be met. He added that naval air bases at Bermuda and Newfoundland would be commissioned in the next few weeks. SUPREME EFFORT "DIE BEFORE SURRENDER" MR, SEMPLE'S ELOQUENCE (Recti. 12/20 a.m.) SYDNEY, Juno to '['lie New Zealand Minister ot 2satHnnd*Service, Ml R Sen.pie, was to-day the guest ol the Millions ( tun at luncheon, and delivered an address on the Dominion's war effort. Mr. Seinple declared democracy was at the crossroads and civilisation in the jll y I ting-put l'.very man must put forward every ounce of strength and every copper lie possessed tie emphasised thai liberty. the spice ot hie. was in jeopardy. The Divine Master soyii would check the kind of conduct going on over Ktipland, resulting in mass murder of vomefi and children, said Mr. Semple. lie thanked (-oil for President .Roosevelt:.

Air Seiuple appealed to Australians to make a vow that they would die on their sutt-kiw'd lulls beiore they would surrender to the German monster ol iiuquitv. 'ihere were only two roads — tiie one Hitler was travelling, and the other which all treedwnToviug people were travelling He would rather go down to dreamless dust than submit to tryanny or any kind

The Minister paid tribute to the help Australia was ipvi.nu New Zealand and said he would return satisfied. that the spirit and soul ol' the people wen sound, lie was also convinced that the development of war industries in Australia was "phenomenal and u underfill

RAIDER OVER WALES

I .OX DON, .tune in The Air Ministry and Ministry of Home Security communique states that a very small number oi enemy aircraft fhnv over the coastal areas in South ales- on Wednesday afternoon. I'p to 8 p.m. there were no report-, of any booths having been dropped. One enemy bomher was destroyed on Tuesday uiglifc in raids on Britain. Bombs were dropped at a few points in I'.U'st Anglia and at one point in the J'aist Midlands last night. Damage was slight and no casualties were reported. lilt.