CLOSING GAP

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24132, 26 November 1941, Page 7

CLOSING GAP

TOBRUK GARRISON CUTTING-OFF GERMANS ARTILLERY IN POSITION LONDON, Nov. 25 British artillery has been brought up to command the bottle-neck between the Tobruk forces and those advancing northward, which are steadily narrowing the gap, reports the Daily Telegraph's Cairo correspondent. The fighting has now shifted slightly south-eastward of Sidi Rezegh. The Tobruk garrison has made a further advance and reached a point two miles from the armoured division tliat is cutting off the retreat westward of the German panzer divisions, now considerably reduced in strength. At the same time British armoured forces, supported by South Africans, are gaining positions to cut off any attempt to move eastward .by the Germans, and are thus slowly completing the encircling movement that will ultimately lead to a conclusive battle. The German forces were still holding their positions at Solium and on the frontier on Sunday morning. The German heavy tanks are being greatly hampered by mud and inundations, especially to the west of Tobruk, where immense areas are under water. High winds and occasional dust storms have failed to prevent the Royal Air Force from playing its part in the invasion by repeated attacks on the enemy's communications and by the destruction of aeroplanes on the ground in daring low-diving assaults. Not a single opportunity of bringing Axis aeroplanes to battle has been lost. In spite of formidable air reinforcements, the Luftwaffe has been unable to give real help to the German motorised forces, owing to the constant watch on their movements maintained by Tomahawk fighters and other Royal Air Force machines. TANK CREW'S ESCAPE SHAMMED AS DEAD CONFUSED GERMAN TROOPS MOTOR-CYCLISTS' MISTAKE (Reed. 12.25 a.m.) CAIRO, Nov. 25 A lieutenant whose tank was hit and set on fire scrambled out with his crew unhurt and lay down in some bushes shamming dead. "The Germans passed within 10 yards and did not trouble to look at us," he said. "My crew were marvellous. They scarcely breathed and lay there for seven hours until the Germans withdrew." Another tank officer said: "The Germans seemed confused by the battles and convolutions. They did not seem to know where they were. One German motor-cyclist with a companion in a side-car drove straight to our lines. After saluting, he asked in German where the commanding officer was. "We quickly collared them both." AUSTRALIAN TROOPS ENSURING REINFORCEMENTS SYDNEY. Nov. 25 In an interview General Sir Thomas Blarney, Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Imperial Force, said that he had made certain recommendations to the Federal Government to ensure reinforcements of the A.I.F. abroad. He would not comment on the question of conscription on the ground that it was a political matter, but said later: "The whole show will have to be all-in to win, not only our wealth and industrial effort, but our men and everything else."