BOLD OPERATION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 June 1942, Page 3

BOLD OPERATION

RITCHIE’S WITHDRAWAL IN ORDER TO KEEP LINE INTACT. TOBRUK MENACED ONCE AGAIN. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.45 a.m.) RUGBY, June 18. An Agency correspondent cables today: “Like the bold surgeon who does not hesitate to perform a bold operation, General Ritchie is making the boldest of operations in the withdrawal , of our troops, in an attempt to keep the line intact. With our positions at El Adem and Sidi Rezegh evacuated, if may be said that the situation with regard to Tobruk is about the same today as early in last December. The threat to Tobruk is now serious, but the withdrawal was rendered necessary after the setback of June 13. “Tobruk, with its extensive perimeter, has not yet been attacked. Nevertheless memories of the triumphant eight months’ siege, while the enemy held the ground between Tobruk and the frontier, are revived by the latest news.” There is much discussion of the reasons for the advantage gained by the Axis forces in the latest phase of the hard-fought Libyan war. It is learned on good authority that the air superiority established by the R.A.F. in 1940 has not been lost at any time, though recent operations by Stukas had that effect locally. It is estimated that not more than one hundred Stukas are in Africa, of which not more than fifty can be employed on a single day, and never more than thirty have been used in any one attack. It is stated definitely in London that there are more British aircraft in Africa than the total German and Italian aircraft combined. A great many of these British and American craft of course are used for lowlevel bombing. The reasons for the German advance from the Gazala Line past Tobruk must evidently be found m the quality of the material available for the use of their land forces.