PRESSURE CONTINUES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 292, 11 December 1941, Page 5

PRESSURE CONTINUES

BRITISH IN LIBYA VON ROMMEL APPEARS TO BE AVOIDING ACTION (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.! London. Det. 9. In Libya the pressure of our forces against the Axis continues to be main-1 tained. General von Rommel appears to be avoiding action. British mobile troops are operating on the eastern flank of the enemy, who are concentrated at El Adem, south of Tobruk. In the area west of Bir el Gobi. 27 enemy tanks suffered direct hits in 1 an engagement and five were wiped out. The Germans at El Adem include the big forces which previously invested (ffobruk. and they are capable of putting up strong resistance. (Recd. 10.45 p.m.i London, Dec. 9. The Daily Telegraph's Cairo cor-! respondent says that 66 enemy tanks! have been destroyed in the past six days in Libya. The enemy abandoned , 18 tanks in the same period. 11 is revealed that an aerial torpedo, hit a ship carrying General von Ravenstein. captured German general, | to Alexandria. A British destroyer I saved von Ravenstein. who was dressed in pyjamas at the time. The Daily Mail's Cairo correspond dent says that tanks from Tobruk | spotted the remnants of an Italian Bologna division, less than a battalion strong, marching wearily after abandoning strong positions along the] coast, eastward of Tobruk. The tank [ mistook the Italians for British pri-I soners and charged to the rescue and | the Bologna division ceased to exist. Italian infantry divisions, stiffened by Germans, still hold strong positions facing the western perimeter of Tobruk. London. Dec. 9 A New Zealand colonel led a force which gallantly rescued wounded New Zealanders stranded in an advanced casualty clearing station near Sidi Rezegh. The force located the station in bright moonlight and successfully evacuated 300 severely injured men, while 500 others were able to walk. General Sir Claude Auchinleck, British Commander-in-Chief in the Middle East, is now trying to impale General Rommel by a three-pronged attack south-east, south-west and north-east. The present British tactics comprise heavy shelling from three sides, and the harassing ot flanks with light tanks. Arms observers believe that the British commander realised the need for more heavy artillery to deal with heavy enemy tanks, thereby forcing Rommel on the defensive, and to use British lighter tanks more economically. An authoritative source states that there is still a considerable number of enemy of all arms on the TobrukBir el Gobi line, and also a considerable number which previously invested Tobruk, capable of offering substantial resistance. An Italian communique reports violent fighting on the Tobruk front between Axis forces. British infantry were supported by tanks, and the British wore Intensely shelling Axis strongholds on the Solium front.