BRITISH BREAK AXIS FRONT

Southland Times, Issue 24623, 20 December 1941, Page 7

BRITISH BREAK AXIS FRONT

Relentless Pursuit

(8.0.W.) RUGBY, December 18. A communique issued in Cairo states: “The Axis forces in Eastern Cyrenaica are now in full retreat. After five days’ fighting in which all the remaining German and Italian resources have been thrown into the battle to try to delay our advance, the enemy’s froht has everywhere been broken. Yesterday our troops relentlessly pursued the enemy in spite of adverse weather for a distance of nearly 30 miles. By the evening the main body of our infantry had reached the general line of the Tmimi-Mekili road.

“Details are now available of the counter-attacks made by German lorry-borne infantry supported by all the remaining German tanks on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The brunt of the three counter-attacks, delivered with great determination, was borne by the 4th Indian Division in the centre

of our lines. Although the Germans had temporarily established considerable local numerical superiority in this area the 4th Division beat off attack after attack without giving ground.” Indeed, during three days of intense fighting, in which all the available German air forces were also used in close support of the German tanks and lorry borne infantry divisions, and particularly in the last two days, the sth Indian Infantry Brigade actually made headway ably backed up by battalions of the 4th Scottish Regiment and the Ist Punjabi Regiment. Both these units had already distinguished themselves on many previous occasions. DEFEAT OF COUNTER-ATTACKS

Admirable support was given by the 21st Field Regiment of the Royal Artillery, which played a decisive part in finally defeating these German counterattacks in which about 20 German tanks and a number of Axis aircraft were destroyed. In yesterday’s retreat by the enemy the British armoured forces operating on the flank and in the rear attacked andjdestroyed a number of columns of mechanized transports, including four German tanks.

Throughout yesterday's operations the Imperial Air Force squadrons cooperated by the intensive bombing of enemy transport columns and obtained excellent results, particularly on a large concentration of mechanical transport at Mckili, where many vehicles were seen on fire. Other air formations successfully engaged detachments shoving westwards along the coastal roads from Derna. IMPORTANT MOVEMENTS _ Import movements continue. The enemy is attempting to withdraw from Gazala and the British are pressing hard and pursuing them, and in view of the fact that we already have mechanized forces beyond—and west of—the enemy, it is expected that their withdrawal will be costly. The total prisoners of war actually in Alexandria up to Monday morning was 8106. as follows: Germans, 76 officers and 2926 other ranks: Italians, 237 officers and 4896 other ranks. On Tuesday Polish and Indian troops together took about 1.000 Italian prisoners.

Authoritative comment in London says it may now be supposed that British advanced troops have proceeded some distance beyond the Tmimi-Mekili road towards the north-west, to where the enemy has presumably retreated in the direction of Derna.