GALLANT STAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24136, 1 December 1941, Page 8

GALLANT STAND

SIDI BEZEGH BATTLE HEROIC SOUTH AFRICANS GENERAL SMUTS' COMMENT (Reed. 7.50 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 30 "The Libyan offensive was a complete success from the beginning, and apparently surprised the enemy," said General Smuts in a broadcast from Capetown. "The South Africans' stand at Sidi Rezegh was comparable to the South Africans' immortal two days' stand against the Germans at Delville Wood in 1918. "They continued to hold out against panzer, air and infantry attacks by superior numbers until their ammunition was .exhausted. ' "Do not let us count our losses," said General Smuts. "Our losses, generation after generation, have won for us this fair land and the heroic tradition which forms the immortal soul of our people." Gommander-in-Chiel's Regret General Smuts added that he had received a message from General Sir Claude Auchinleck expressing deep regret that the South African troops should have suffered so heavily in their first major engagement. General Auchinleck had said lie could not express sufficiently his admiration and pride ii the South Africans' tenacious gallantry. It is officially announced in Pretoria that the Fifth South African Brigade's casualties at Sidi Rezegh did not exceed 1200. Men are still escaping, and the final figure may be much smaller. "Still They Game On" The Times correspondent with the Eighth Army says that some of the most heroic actions in the campaign so far were fought by the Fifth South African Brigade, which, after inflicting heavy damage on the enemy, was finally over-run last Saturday by a strong tank attack. The brigade advanced to attack Sidi Rezegh aerodrome, which the Germans had recaptured the previous day, but encountered such terrific artillery, mortar and machine-gun fire that it was withdrawn after suffering .heavy casualties. The brigade quickly re-formed, but was suddenly attacked by German tanks seven abreast and 10 deep. The South African field guns and anti-tank guns fired until their ammunition was exhausted, knocking out one tank after another. But still the Germans came on. The riflemen were helpless and were being rounded up as prisoners when some British tanks broke through. They were not strong enough to turn defeat into victory, but their intervention enabled a considerable number of South Africans to escape. "8.8.C. BALLYHOO" ATTACK BY GENERAL (Eecd. 8.15 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 30 Major-General J. F. 0. Fuller, author of many military publications, draws attention in an article in the Evening Standard to some over-optimistic accounts of the Libyan battles, and singles out the British Broadcasting Corporation. "When the Eighth Army launched its offensive," writes Major-Genera] Fuller, "no one in London could know what type of victory General Cunningham was seeking; yet within a few hours, 'General Headquarters in Broadcasting House' embarked on a campaign of words bearing but remote resemblance to the sober announcements from General Headquarters in Cairo. The 8.8.C. told us the enemy had no chance of recovering from the smashing initial blow, but Cairo never released such desirable information. "I do not suggest that ballyhoo about the battle has not a certain psychological value, but if the real battle does not keep to the heel of the imaginary battle we must not conclude that the former has failed." IMPORTANT TASK NEW ZEALAND FORCES LONDON, .Nov. 28 The official war correspondent with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force states that the New Zealandcrs, who have completed contact with Tobruk, continue to play an important part in the_ battle and are advancing west of Sidi Rezegh. New Zealand infantry is turning the tables on the German infantry after Crete and Greece. The air support is excellent. New Zealandera in other areas are clearing up pockets of Axis resistance.