ATTACKS REPULSED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 June 1941, Page 5

ATTACKS REPULSED

LAST STAGE OF DESERT BATTLE ENEMY TANKS & GUNS DESTROYED. SUCCESSES IN ABYSSINIA & SYRIA. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.40 a.m.) RUGBY, June 18. A communique issued from headquarters at Cairo states: “In Libya yesterday afternoon we repulsed several attacks when the enemy brought up fresh forces with which he attempted an encircling movement against our forward troops. As we had accomplished the object of forcing him to disclose his strength and had inflicted heavy casualties on him, we withdrew slowly to our forward positions. We brought back several hundred German prisoners and destroyed a large number of enemy tanks and guns. “In the Wolchefit sector in Abyssinia our troops surprised the garrison of an Italian fort, causing the enemy over 100 casualties. As its continued occupation would be of no value to us the fort itself was completely burnt out and then abandoned. “There is nothing of importance to report regarding Iraq. “Further progress has been made in the coastal sector of Syria, where our advanced patrols now are within 20 miles of Beirut. South of Damascus the Allied forces have made further headway in the face of strong opposition by Vichy troops. In the central area heavy counter-attacks by our forces are in progress against Vichy elements, which temporarily effected lodgments in Merjiyun and Queneitra. At Jezzine a determined counter-at-tack was successfully repulsed, leaving many Vichy infantry and several armoured cars in our hands.”