ENEMY ENCIRCLED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24790, 15 December 1941, Page 5

ENEMY ENCIRCLED

POSITION AT GAZALA MOBILE COLUMNS ACTIVE GREAT CONFUSION CAUSED (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 13. The British advance westward in Libya and the encirclement movement from the south toward the coast about Gazala and farther west are known in London to be continuing. Further captures of prisoners and material have been made. A Middle East communique states; “ Our main forces continued their advance to the west and northwest from the area south of Gazala At Gazala itself enemy forces in defensive positions are now encircled by New Zealand troops and are being attacked. In the general area to the south-west of Gazala, our mobile columns are causing great confusion and destruction among scattered columns of German and Italian troops and transports endeavouring to make their way to the north-west. Our tanks also attacked enemy tanks in this neighbourhood yesterday afternoon.

“ In the frontier area, South African forces have now cleared up three defended localities held by the enemy south-west of Solium, and captured much equipment. Mopping up operations in this area continue. Our air forces have vigorously attacked enemy motor transports and troops on roads and tracks west of Gazala and Bir Hakim and on the road north and west from Tmimi, and have caused considerable dislocation of enemy movement, much damage to enemy vehicles, and casualties to troops. On December 11 ground troops shot down four enemy aircraft.’’ Enemy’s Need of Supplies Speaking of General Rommel’s chances of receiving reinforcements in Libya, a senior naval officer at Alexandria said: “They possibly may get some there, but if they hope to land one division they will have to send two. It would take weeks, necessitating several trips across the Mediterranean, since the African bases have few facilities for landing numbers of tanks and armoured vehicles in a hurry. The Italians definitely appear to be more and more afraid to i risk a convoy across the Mediterranean in spite of General Rommel’s urgent need of supplies. Since our recent cruiser successes, Italian convoys have been far less numerous. At the same time they are receiving naval escorts of increasing numbers and size in order that some at least may possibly break through the British stranglehold.’’ The officer gave the present size of the Italian fleet as four, possibly five, battleships, 10 cruisers, and 30 destroyers. He added that German submarines which had been operating in the western ■ Mediterranean were gradually working towards the eastern end.

NAZI REGIMENT DESTROYED (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON. Dec. 12 The Cairo correspondent of the Associated Press says it is officially announced that the 361st German Afrika Regiment was destroyed in the recent Libyan fighting. Survivors of the regiment reveal that they had had no air or tank support and no anti-aircraft guns since November 21, and they were very short of food. The regiment is composed of second-line troops, mostly reservists aged from 30 to 40, many of whom were in the French Foreign Legion. The regiment, which was rushed to Africa at the beginning of November, was seething with political discontent. It bore'the full brunt of the British tank attack on November 23, suffering heavy casualties. The remnants were captured by the New Zealanders on November 25. They were then released by German tanks, and compelled to participate in an attack on December 2. They were inadequately armed and again suffered heavily before they finally surrendered.