THREAT TO EGYPT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24951, 25 June 1942, Page 5

THREAT TO EGYPT

ENEMY FORCES MASSING EARLY ATTACK EXPECTED (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Rec. 1.15 a.m.) LONDON, June 24. In Libya there are signs that the Axis forces are massing for an attack on the Egyptian frontier. Along the frontier much movement of enemy troops has been observed south of Gambut, and it is believed that the battle of Egypt will begin soon. A communique issued by Middle East Headquarters states that our mobile columns engaged small parties of the enemy west of Solium all 'day yesterday. Reconnaissance planes reported that powerful forces were seen passing Gambut, proceeding in the direction of Fort Capuzzo and Halfaya Pass. They included tanks, guns, and infantry. It is believed that the enemy will soon launch an attack on the Egyptian frontier, but there is no information to show how serious are the opening movements. It is emphasised in London that the Germans may not wait, but will attack at any moment. The probability is that our forces have been regrouped after getting back to their defence line.

MISTAKEJN LIBYA ALLIED ATTACK PREMATURE HEAVY LOSSES SUFFERED RUGBY, June 23. A report by General Sir Claude Auchinleck on the events in Libya up to the eve of the fall of Tobruk was read in the House of Commons by the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr C. R. Attlee. '■ General Auchinleck's report states: "An enemy attack during the last few days in May was expected, and preparations were'made accordingly. The Eighth Army, on positions from Gazala to Bir Hakeim, was awaiting this attack. The. R.A.F. began, a counteroffensive action about a week beforehand. The enemy's first attempt to encircle Bir Hakeim and our forward troops was met by armoured forces in the Knightsbridge-El Adem area. fighting ensued in which the enemy was constantly attacked by our armoured and air forces. "At first things appeared to.be going well. The enemy, in spite of the gap forced in our minefields, was having difficulty with his supplies, and all our efforts, including intense air attack, were devoted to increasing his embarrassment. „This..wjas .-probably...the. crucial -moment in the-battle. The enemy was exhausted, and had literally fought himself to a standstill. Had we been able to take advantage of the enemy's condition we might have turned the scale. We were equally exhausted, however, and this was impossible. Enemy's Fierce Counter-stroke -• "On June 3 the enemy succeeded in over-running the 150th Brigade and establishing forward bases in the minefield area. In an attempt to restore the position and drive him out, General N. M. Ritchie counter-attacked on June 4. On the information available the chances of this attack seemed good, and it had been preceded by an adequate and careful reconnaissance. It now appears that .this was, in fact, premature. The - enemy put in a. fierce counterstroke iri the face of which we were forced to Withdraw with considerable losses. The enemy then concentrated his attention on. Bir Hakeim, which was garrisoned by Free French and had already been subject to heavy pres- ■ sure. '--'■' '■ "> '. . "Intense air support was provided by the R.A.F. General Ritchie decided that the risk of maintaining this isolated garrison was too great, and withdrew on June 10. The Free French defended Bir Hakeim with the utmost tenacity and endurance, and their forces served to delay the enemy and contain a considerable enemy force. " With the fall of Bir Hakeim these enemy forces; were released, and the enemy pressed his attack in the Knightsbridge-El Adem area. Heavy fighting ensued, and although our troops and the Air Force fought with the greatest skill, three days later we were forced to abandon some positions at Knightsbridge, which opened the way for the enemy to break through to the coast and try to cut Off the Ist South African and 50th Divisions in their positions-south of Gazala. General Ritchie decided rightly to withdraw these divisions, and the operation was carried out with skill and a large degree of success. Both divisions joined General Ritchie's forces east of Tobruk. Garrison at Tobruk "The enemy then turned to the attack on Ed Adem, and after a fierce battle established himself east of El Adem and the defended local area at Sidi Rezegh. For four days the enemy was held at bay in the air and on land until General Ritchie withdrew to the El Adem, El Duda, Sidi Rezegh area on June 17. and concentrated his main forces towards the frontier, leaving what was considered an adequate garrison in Tobruk. On the morning of June i2O ihe enemy attacked Tobruk from the south and penetrated the perimeter and the positions on that portion of the Tobruk area east of the . Tobruk-El Adem road."

STUBBORN COURAGE THE BRITISH SOLDIER MR HUGHES'S TRIBUTE (N.Z.P.A. Special Aust. Correspondent) (Rec. 0.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, June 24. "The debacle of Libya must inevitably react most powerfully on. the Australian public," says the Deputy Leader of the Federal Opposition. Mr W. M. Hughes. "They cannot help thinking that what happened in Libya may happen in Egypt and their minds will be seriously disturbed by the fear that our own generals, like the British, may not have learned from the lessons of this war. It will be interesting to hear the official explanation for being beaten by the Germans and the Japanese, which threatens to become a habit with our generals. "We were driven out of Norway, escaped annihilation at Dunkirk by a miracle, and in Greece and Crete we were overwhelmed. What happened to us in Malaya, we in Australia know only too well," Mr Hughes continued. "After each defeat we were offered a new explanation by the military authorities. They may have been very good ones; but, good or not, the High Command learned nothing from what had happened. It is said now that our gun-fire was too weak. It may be so, but this must have been known before. It is said, too, that we were defeated because our generals were too cautious. This would explain everything. "Whatever the cause of defeat," Mr Hughes added, "the blame does not lie with the British soldier. He obeys his officers and fights with the weapons he is given. His stubborn courage has passed into a proverb."

TOBRUK'S LAST HOURS TERRIFIC BOMBARDMENT (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON. June 23. There was no organised evacuation of Tobruk, but the defenders were determined to reorganise and try to fight their way out, according to eye-wit-nesses of the fall of the fortress, who have arrived at Alexandria. A naval officer who was among the last to leave said: "Tobruk town and harbour had been shelled for some days fairly heavily, but it was not until Saturday that it became really vicious. The enemy used everything they had from two-inch shells upwards, and even anti-tank guns towards the end. It was on Saturday afternoon that the big stuff started to come over. I had been on coastal patrol the night before, so had turned in and slept in spite of the bombardment. When I got up at 3.30 p.m. it was not very bad, although things were 'popping off all over the place. I left the building where I had been sleeping at 4 o'clock and met some troops who had just come down the escarpment. They told us they had been cut off by the enemy, who had broken through. This was the first we knew of it.

"About 5 o'clock all naval personnel having'ariy kind of arms were ordered to fall in. Only a few naval units and one small schooner were in harbour at this time. Practically all got away. I was told to bring my craft alongside, and did so. We stood by there awaiting orders for about two hours; There were about five or six German tanks on the other side of the escarpment. We saw four or five of our soldiers shoot up one tank. They plunged into the water and swam to a small boat, in which they pulled over to us. Germans Break Through

" Later in the evening we learned that there had been a general break through. About this time German tanks were coming over the hill from the east down the road into the town, backed by armoured cars. The order came to be ready to move. Then the enemv put over the biggest bombardment I have ever seen. Tanks were firing at ships in the harbour, and the town was being shelled and bombed, all kinds of ammunition being used. All around shells and bombs were exploding, but we suffered no casualties.

" The armoured forces were now so close that we were ordered to sail. All the ships had been ready with steam up since the siege began. I could not get my ship—a small craft—away, as she had been hit by a shell. We got ashore and saw all the ships leaving. I went aboard another vessel just as she was letting go, and we all moved out. There were shells falling all around us. We received one hit at this time. We were in a rather isolated corner of the harbour and could not see if any of the ships took on troops before leaving. The ships were firing pom-poms and other light Weapons at the enemy, and the din was terrific. As we moved out the enemy put down a curtain of shells from guns of every kind over the boom at the entrance, so that all ships would have to pass through it. We went through at lull speed and were not hit. Demolition Squads at Work " Naval demolition squads blew up everything before we left. Certain craft had been detailed to stay behind for demolition parties, and practically all were taken off. They continued working until the last moment even when the enemy armoured forces were in the town, I consider they did the best of anyone in Tobruk. "The break-through came from the east, and the town was entered by the Tenth Light Armoured Division and the Fiftieth Panzers. There was only naval personnel in the town, the army being all round it, and practically everyone in the town or on the shore managed to get away in some craft, but there was no withdrawal from the land, and the bulk of the army was left behind. They reckoned they had a chance of cutting their way out. They thought if they could form up they could get through, but we had no information of what was happening to them. By the time the last ship left enemy armoured forces were all round and had encircled the harbour."

EYE-WITNESS'S ACCOUNT

"WORSE THAN DUNKIRK'

LONDON. June 23.

■Eye-witness stories from men who escaped from Tobruk are now coming in from battle headquarters of the Bth Army, j • - A Londoner, Private W. G. Downes, a Dunkirk survivor, limped into a forward camp with three days' beard, and said: " I made to the dock on the afternoon of June 20, and got there as a shell blew up the buildings behind me. I boarded a tug, which was a long time getting under way. Shells dropDed all around me. We were directly hit amidships by two or three shells. Immediately after starting, another wiped off our stern. The sailors jumped overboard, so I followed them." Downes searched vainly for words to describe the horror of swimming in a sea partly afire with oil. A minesweeper -heard his-yells after dark, and. pulled "hini from - .the.sea. Tobruk was then a roaring inferno of shells, tanks, and machine guns. Downes early on June 21 saw three Italian torpedo boats, closing in on the minesweeper, whose fire ceased when the gunners were all killed. The enemy fired continuously, circling around the now. burning minesweeper. Downes again went overboard, and oil was again on fire around him. He was without water all day on a raft, and was finally rescued with two others by a torpedo boat after an RA.F. piane had spotted him. He then landed on June 22 at Mersa Matruh. It was worse than Dunkirk, said Downes.