EIGHTH ARMY ACTION

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLXII, Issue 15241, 6 January 1943, Page 3

EIGHTH ARMY ACTION

ITALIANS FLEE TN PANIC. United Press Assn.—B.v ETectri Telegraph. —Copyright. LONDON. .January 4. The “Daily Mail’s” special correspondent with tlie advanced forces of the Eighth Army describes a piratical little action at Biingem, a dramatic-looking stone fort 50 miles inland, south of Wadi Zamzam. A British patrol before being noticed kidnapped two defenders of the fort, who were black Libyan soldiers. They revealed that there were 120 Italian soldiers within, so the British armoured force dropped a few shells, whereupon panic broke out and lorries careered from tlie fort southward. The British soused the buildings with petro-l and set fire to them, after which armoured cars drove peacefully into tlie charred ruins. The correspondent says the point of the advance so far reached is the nearest thing to a real front lino We have bad since El Agheila. The Germans spent four nights in tlie same place, Stukah appeared in the sky. tin hats being worn. The thunder of artillery is echoing in the tortuous ravines Tanks have not yet contacted enemy tanks or infantry, but the campaign has changed from a headlong pursuit to a. cautious jockeying for positions. Officers say the Germans are digging in hurriedly in new positions. Five hundred men are engaged in one place, but the Germans have done that before. and abandoned better positions when we showed our heavy armour.