AIM TO CUT TOBRUK "CORRIDOR"

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24138, 3 December 1941, Page 7

AIM TO CUT TOBRUK "CORRIDOR"

MX onslaughts repulsed mz ■ i:

NEW ZEALANDERS BEARING THE BRUNT

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright ; mecfilved Dumber 2. <1.40 p.m.) LONDON. Dec. 2 Thrust and counter-thrust are still the order of the day in 'the fighting: in the desert, where the battle continues to be one mainly of t;anks. The Germans continue to fight with strong determination, and are trying to cut off the Allied forces in the Tobruk 'lone, and also to/ prevent any further link between the New Zealanders and the Tobruk force. The New Zealanders are believed to be bearing the main brunt of the attack. Rommel liiniself is said to be leading the German operations in this sector. A British United Press, correspondent with the advanced armoured forces says two tank battles are raging in Libya early to-day. German units are attacking the New Zealanders slightly north -west of Sidi Rezegh, and the German 21 st Division is stacking north-east of Sidi Rezegh.

A bayonet charge drove the Germans from the points inside the British defences at Sidi Rezegh which the enemy had occupied oil Sunday after a big tank and infantry attack, reports the British United Press correspondent with the New Zealanders. The British charged just before dawn after an all-night tank battle,, and regained all the contested ground. General Cunningham, after establishing a strong front between Sidi Rezegh and Tobruk, appears at present to be content to allow the enemy to attack, says the Daily Mail's Cairo correspondent. In repulsing three onslaughts in the past two days, General Cunningham has continued the good work of destroying Axis tanks, while he has turned on them furiously at every opportunity. English and New Zealand troops are strongly entrenched "between Tobruk and Sidi Rezegh, and are well equipped with field'guns ar>4 anti-tank guns.