SERIOUS FIGHTING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21992, 18 June 1941, Page 5

SERIOUS FIGHTING

Allied Push In Libya By Telegraph— Press Association— Copyright LONDON, June 16. Serious fighting has developed on the Egyptian-Libyan border in the triangle between Solium, Fort Capuzzo and Halfaya Pass. It is known that a large number of armoured vehicles are taking part, but it Is emphasised in Cairo that the operations are not on a large scale and that it is a continuation of the action which began with the withdrawal from Benghazi. There has bean patrol activity in the Solium area, and last night a local advance was made by forward elements of the British forces. There are no details of the extent of this operation. It is officially stated in London that on Friday night an Italian supply column was surprised by a British mobile force in the Gambut area, 40 miles west of Bardia. and 12 Italian motor vehicles were destroyed. According to a British Official Wireless message, military circles in Cairo describe the fighting In the Western Desert as a continuation of the operations which have been going on intermittently since the retirement, from Benghazi. They attach no particular importance to it. It Is of a fairly strenuous character though confined to a small triangle of land on top of the escarpment formed by Capuzzo. Heli Fire Pass and Solium. British and Indian troops are engaged and both sides are using armoured fighting vehicles in considerable numbers. It is at present uncertain how the operations are developing, but whereas the imperial forces were originally on the east side of Hell Fire Pass, they are now on the west. The enemy held the top Of the Pass and when our troops reached the triangle fighting began and, according to this Cairo report, is still going on around the Pass and on top of the escarpment in the region of the Cyrenajca border.