MAIN BATTLE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24776, 28 November 1941, Page 5

MAIN BATTLE

SIDI REZEGH AREA •GERMAN REINFORCEMENTS AN ATTEMPTED DIVERSION ■' LONDON, Nov. 26. . A Cairo communique states: "Throughout yesterday British and South African troops in the general area of Sidi Rezegh held their ground, while New Zealand reinforcements, with important British tank formations, were steadily making, progress westwards in face of considerable opposition. Meantime the British Forces from Tobruk. supported by tanks, have steadily penetrated eastwards from the original positions captured in the first two days of the sally. This force has now added to the number of prisoners taken and' has also captured 24 field guns." In the Sidi Rezegh area, which remains the main battle front, the German High Command has also brought up reinforcements, and another heavy clash is expected to develop to-day.

Meanwhile, in an effort to divert attention and forces from the main operation, the enemy staged a raid on a substantial scale along the general axis across the frontier south of Sidi Omar. This raiding column was located in an area midway between Halfaya and Sidi Omar. From Gabr Salh onwards it was continuously attacked both by our bombers. and by low-flying fighters. When about to cross the frontier this enemy raiding column was engaged by our field guns and by our tanks, losing about onethird of its estimated strength in tanks. British mobile columns with tanks have now been organised to deal with this diversion. Continuous Fighting Considerable British tank reinforcements previously held in reserve have now reached the forward areas, where our armoured formations are rapidly reorganising, after five days of continuous fighting, to resume their part in the main operations about Sidi Rezegh.

Further south British and South African mechanised forces, in cooperation with Indian troops, captured Jalo, 140 mjjes south-east of Benghazi, taking 200 Italian prisoners, together with quantities of stores and equipment. The operations in this region continue to develop satisfactorily. Our Air Force continues to co-oper-ate with bombing attacks on enemy motor transports and armoured fighting vehicle concentrations in the battle area. One particularly successful attack on an enemy column resulted in a number of enemy vehicles being hit and damaged. A Rome communique claims that the Italians captured General Armstrong, of the 13th South African Division, and several British and American journalists, as well as tanks and 5000 prisoners southwards from Sidi Rezegh. It also admits that the British occupied Jalo. A German communique states:— " Counter-attacks in North Africa . are bringing further successes. Our positions on the Solium front are being held, in spite of enemy attacks. We frustrated fresh attempts to break out of Tobruk." British Air Activity

A Royal Air Force Middle East communique states: "Our bombers and fighters were again active over the whole battle front in Libya on Tuesday, and gave constant support to the operations of the land forces. In the area of the land battle successful bombing attacks were made on enemy tanks and motor transport in the Shefezen and Sidi Omar districts. Fires were started in the middle of two concentrations of ■enemy mechanised forces.

"Aerial combats developed over Sidi Rezegh and Sidi Omar, in the course of which a C.R. 42 and a Messerschmitt 110 were shot down. Five further Messerschmitt 110's were destroyed in an air battle which took place near Sidi Omar on Monday. Elsewhere in Libya a low-flying attack was carried out on the aerodrome at Ageoabia, where a transport aircraft was seen to crash. A number of C.R. 42's tind C.A. 310's were damaged, and a large petrol tanker was destroyed. "Another attack was made on the road south of Barce, where a petrol tanker burst into and a number of lorries and other fuel carriers were damaged. " During Monday night the harbour at Benghazi was again bombed, and fires broke out on the central mole. Raids were also made on the aerodromes at Benina and Berka. Two unidentified aircraft were destroyed on the ground.

"A Messerschmitt "109 F was shot down in the Central Mediterranean by one of our bombers on Sunday. "In Abyssinia, bombing and machine-gunning raids were made in the Gondar-Azozo area, direct hits being obtained on the camp and on the castle at Gondar. " Three of our aeroplanes are missing."