LIBYAN CAMPAIGN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24808, 7 January 1942, Page 5

LIBYAN CAMPAIGN

RELEASED PRISONERS NEW ZEALANDERS INCLUDED OVER SEVEN HUNDRED (Roc. 11 p.m.) LONDON. Jan. 6. A Cairo communique reports that 750 New Zealand soldiers are among the British troops set free at Bardia. Most of the other prisoners rcl2ased belonged to the British Tank Corps.

An Agency correspondent at Cairo says that, with Bardia captured, the battle for Halfaya has now started. This was, indeed, implied in this afternoon's Cairo communique. The correspondent added that at Halfaya the Axis forces, including many Germans, are strongly entrenched. The number of Italian and German troops holding this last island of resistance in Eastern Cyrenaica is about the same as in Bardia (between 7000 and 8000). According io the number of prisoners taken in Bardia, the percentage of Germans at Halfaya was higher than at Bardia, which was roughly in the ratio of six Italians to one German.

A communique issued at the British Cairo headquarters states: "In the Jedabaya area our mobile columns and air forces maintained their pressure on the enemy, especially against his communications in the west. Another 500 prisoners have been rounded up at Bardia. bringing the total to 7500. Having reduced Bardia. our attention has now been turned to the last remaining pocket of enemy resistance in Eastern Cyrenaica. Axis forces, holding strong defensive positions covering Halfaya, were yesterday heavily and continuously attacked by our air forces."

The British United Press correspondent on the German frontier says thai reports from reliable quarters are circulating in Germany and on the German frontier to the effect that General von Rommel returned to Germany some weeks ago and is now lying ill with blackwater fever.

AIR OFFENSIVE NEW AMERICAN FIGHTERS RUGBY, Jan. 5. The opening day of 1942 saw Kittyhawk fighters draw first blood in the present Libyan campaign, says- the Air Ministry News Service. These American fighters, which are the improved Tomahawk, were flown by pilots of an R.A.A.F. squadron. They destroyed five enemy aircraft, with other probables, and damaged half a dozen more in the initial battle with the enemy.

Features of the battle in Libya, the only occasion for several days on which enemy aircraft have been encountered, included the individual feat of a sergeant pilot who destroyed or damaged five enemy machines and put to flight an enemy fighter escort of ME 109's. The sergeant pilot, who comes from Queensland, said: " We were en patrol near Jedabaya when we saw some troops nearby. We swung over to investigate, and as we approached so did a formation of JU 87's. with a fighter escort. When the enemy sighted us the bombers jettisoned their bombs, intended for the troops. The ME 109's turned tail and fled, while the Junkers went into defensive circles. I found myself near the aerodrome at Jedabaya. and decided to circle there and attempt to catch the enemy planes as they were landing. The ME 109's were the first to arrive. I allowed them to make two circles of the landing ground and then attacked. One was destroyed. He went on his back from less than 1000 ft. Another I count as a possible, and a third was damaged. By' this time the Junkers were landing about two miles away, so I went over there. Four were circling, and I put a burst into the first and the last, unfortunately over-shooting the middle two." The following communique from the R.A.F. Middle East headquarters was issued this afternoon: "In the Jedabaya battle area yesterday our fighters were constantly, active, although weather conditions were unfavourable. Enemy fighters were engaged, and several were damaged, without loss to our aircraft. Bombing operations were restricted by the weather, but a considerable force of Blenheims, including a Free French squadron, attacked enemy defensive positions at Halfaya with effect. An enemy reconnaissance aircraft that flew at a great height over Gambut was hit by anti-aircraft fire, and was seen flying at 400 ft losing height.

"On the night of January 3-4 supply dumps, barrack buildings, and motor transport were bombed with success at Buerat El Hussun. The same targets were attacked the previous day. petrol tanks being destroyed and a number of direct hits registered on the barracks. The submarine base of Salamis, to the west of Piraeus was raided during the night of January 3-4. Bombs fell on the base itself, as* well as on a munition factory and ordnance workshops. Huge fires broke out as the result of the attack.

"Malta was bombed by enemy aircraft yesterday, and during the previous night some damage was caused One JU 88 was shot down in flames into the sea. Several other aircraft were severely damaged. None of our aircraft is missing from operations during the period under review."