BENGHAZI TAKEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24800, 27 December 1941, Page 7

BENGHAZI TAKEN

BRITISH TROOPS ENTER ENEMY FORCES FLEEING THOUSANDS CAUGHT IN NET \ 4 (Rec. 7 p.m.) RUGBY, Dec. 25. “ Our ■ troops yesterday occupied Benghazi,’* cays to-day’s Middle East war communique from Cairo. 11 Royal Dragoons were the first to enter the town. They report that the town was devastated.” The Algiers radio said that the British took 10,000 prisoners in the Benghazi area. It is estimated that another 40,000 Italians are still in the area north-east of Benghazi. The question on everyone’s lips is,"'will the Allied forces attempt to sweep on to the Tunisian frontier before Axis reinforcements arrive? At present there are only Italian infantry, in that region. An exact

computation of the proportion of forces General Rommel managed to get out of Cyrenaica is impossible, but it is generally believed that He extricated only a “handful” of tanks. The scanty remains of the German armoured forces, as well as all the infantry which cquld be assembled, are making their way round the Gulf of Sirte, along the good road to Tripoli. Everything not essential is being abandoned. The Allied forces certainly had no time to celebrate Christmas, as they were fully occupied in pursuing the fleeing columns > and in mopping up stragglers. No more Germans can join those , already southward of Benghazi because the British have cut the road. British bombers and fighters are increasing' General Rommel’s difficulties and not allowing the retreating columns the slightest respite. There are still enemy pockets of resistance in the Bardia, Solium, and Halfaya areas, but their cleaning up is a matter of time. They will either be starved out or* compelled to subipit by force.

A Middle East communique states; “ In spite of bad weather and heavy going after the rain our strong mobile columns are still striking at the retreating enemy everywhere in the area between Benghazi and Jedabaya, and even further west, inflicting casualties, taking prisoners , and capturing or destroying quantities of enemy transport and material. Small bodies of enemy troops, believed to be almost entirely Italian, still remain in the area northeast of Benghazi, and are being dealt with. In the frontier area we eliminated yet another of the isolated enemy posts near Bardia. I “ Our air for.ce yesterday maintained its very effective attack against enemy columns of troops and motor vehicles, destroying a large number of vehicles, including petrol tankers and troop carriers. A large number of enemy aircraft were found/ which had been destroyed on the ground by our air forces.” 1

shal Coningham was flown by a flying officer, and he himself acted as observer. Major-general Ritchie sat behind the rear gunner. He and the air officer commanding were not the only visitors to this advanced landing ground. As they were approaching their aircraft to take off, a solitary Junkers 88 dived from heavy cloud cover to send a stick nf bombs hurtling to earth. The nearest bomb fell only 100 yards from the waiting plane, but, although fragments fell around, there were no casualties or damage. In a message of greetings to all ranks of the air force in the Middle East under his command. Air , Marshal Arthur Tedder referred to the battle of Libya: “For the first time in any land campaign Ger- * many has felt in the Libyan battle now raging the full force of air superiority against him. That air superiority and all it means have been hard won. It has been attained and is being main* talned not only by hard fighting in the air and by incessant attacks on the enemy’s supply, but also by the steady maintenance of our own supplies bysea. More than ever does the air. battle depend on a long chain of devoted work and close co-operation ”

Major-general Ritchie and Air Vice Marshal Coningham visited one of the most forward areas in the Libyan campaign. They arrived and left together in a Blenheim bomber escorted by fighters of the S.A.A.F. Air Vice Mar-