BATTLE AT FULL BLAST

Southland Times, Issue 24601, 25 November 1941, Page 5

BATTLE AT FULL BLAST

Enemy Forces Split

LONDON, November 23.

A military spokesman in Cairo said that the battle in Libya was going at full blast. It was too early to tell what course the battle would finally take—■ whether General Rommell would fight to a finish where he was or whether he would try to get out of the ring. The culmination of the battle apparently was imminent, but it might go on throughout Sunday and Monday. It was getting more and more intense.

“A bitter confused and crucial battle has been going on all night and throughout the day in the Sidi Rezegh area,” he said. “This is no cakewalk and the German armoured forces are fighting desperately, giving battle everywhere. It is false to suppose that the Germans are at present fighting a battle of retreat.”

Reports reaching Cairo are confused because the fighters in the Western Desert have not had time to send details. A typical report stated: “The action has started, but we are too busy to give details. Sorry.” GREAT DISTANCES It is authoritatively stated that the information in London about Libya shows that the British forces have split the enemy forces in the zone between Tobruk, Bir el Gobi and the Egyptian frontier into four or five different groups. The distances are so big, however, that it would be premature to think the Italians and the Germans cannot escape. Under cover of darkness or even in daytime they might find a hole in the net through which a number might slip out, but the authorities report that there is no doubt a good proportion of the enemy will be caught. In the Halfaya-Sollum area the enemy is completely cut off. A special correspondent with the British Army in the Western Desert writes that the latest information reaching advanced headquarters indicates that the battle is not yet settled and may last for several days, but that it is going better than was expected. Following Saturday’s sacrifice of tanks the Germans have lost the chief support of their panzer divisions. A useful indication is that 60 German tanks ir one place have held their position, which seems to point to a shortage of petrol. SORTIE FROM TOBRUK Early on Sunday morning the Tobruk garrison, which had orders on Saturday to return to the edge of the perimeter, made a successful sortie in a south-westerly direction. The New Zealanders resumed on Sunday morning their march to the westward supported by tanks. Two panzer divisions are making a desperate attempt south of Tobruk and west of Fort Capuzzo to escape the slowly but surely closing nincers movement being carried out by three English armoured brigades backed by English, New Zealand and South African brigades. Under cover of artillery and of constant bombing by all classes of aircraft the Germans are attempting to cut a wedge towards the Derna mountains, which would permit an organized defence and where even the Italians checked the Australian advance towards Benghazi last year. Three English brigades, one of which is much faster than the German panzer units, are closing up and numerous rearguard actions took place on Saturday in which the Germans lost many more tanks.