LARGE-SCALE BATTLES

Waikato Times, Volume 129, Issue 21598, 8 December 1941, Page 5

LARGE-SCALE BATTLES

OFFENSIVE BY ALLIED FORCES BITTER FIGHTING BY NEW ZEALANDERS BRITISH CONTINUE TO HOLD INITIATIVE LONDON, Dec. 7 Another large-scale battle is raging in the Libyan desert between Tobruk and El Gobi. The Allied forces in Libya appear to have begun an offensive everywhere, concentrating on launching widespread attacks by mobile columns. These are said to have met with great success. So far, however, no major tank battle has taken place. The New Zealanders have fought a bitter battle alongside British troops in the Tobruk zone. A communique indicates that the British are holding the initiative. The Germans have shown no signs of wanting to escape to the west.

Gallant New Zealanders < The Daily Express Cairo correspondent said earlier: “Our aeroplanes and flying columns continue to harass the German efforts to dig in, but the bulk of the British armoured legion is resting and refitting. One resting officer is a South African test cricketer who has wounds in the leg and head. He had six tanks disabled under him and now commands a seventh. “If you have any admiration to spare, offer it to the New Zealanders who almost alone met the full shock of the panzers on the rising ground outside Tobruk. It was a battle between German anti-tank guns and New Zealand infantry- ‘The battlefield was like the Napier earthquake,’ said one New Zealander.” A communique issued by Cairo headquarters yesterday stated: “During the last 24 hours our forces have maintained unremitting pressure on the enemy throughout the whole area. At El Duda what little ground remained in enemy hands after their third attack on Thursday has now been recovered by British North Country infantry from Tobruk as a result of night operations. Enemy’s Heavy Losses “South of El Duda an enemy column of 400 infantry and 150 motor vehicles was attacked by our artillery, machine-guns and aircraft. Heavy casualties were inflicted and the enemy was scattered in confusion. Another column of eysmy infantry and transport attempting to move westward along the escarpment in this region was engaged by artillery and heavy casualties were inflicted. In the El Adem area west of Bardia still another of our mobile columns encountered a small enemy force, destroying 60 enemy vehicles and supply dump and capturing hundreds of prisoners. In another operation in the main area our armoured forces destroyed five enemy tanks. In the frontier area South African troops yesterday surrounded a body of enemy infantry south-west of Solium. West of Solium an enemy column some 300 mechanical transport vehicles and about 30 tanks isolated in Bardia were shelled. “In their successful attacks on Bir-el-Gobi Indian troops destroyed 15 Italian tanks, 150 vehicles and 50,000 gallons of fuel oil. They also captured 400 Italian prisoners, two batteries of medium artillery, five antitank guns, 50 supply lorries and a large quantity of ammunition.”

MAORIS IN LIBYA FAMOUS BAYONET CHARGE 'United Press ass./.--£]ec. Tel. copyngnt) LONDON, Dec. 6 When the New Zealanders made their famous bayonet charge at Solium they destroyed an enormous amount of German material, states an agency correspondent with the Eigth Army. The correspondent says that ever since they met them in Greece and Crete the New Zealanders. and especially the Maoris, have been a bad dream for the Germans. For the attack on the Solium barracks the Maoris rushed forward with bayonets against very heavy enemy fire, which was maintained until the Maoris were actually upon them. The Germans then surrendered. They had been driven from most valuable high ground. Casualties among the Maoris were reasonably light. USE OF FRENCH SHIPS SUPPLIES FOR GERMAANS (United Press Assn.—Eiee. Tel. Copyrignt) LONDON, Dec. 5 The Germans apparently intend to requisition all available French tonnage in the Mediterranean and send immediately further supplies to General Rommel, says the Daily Mail’s Madrid correspondent. The ships will load at Marseilles and other North Mediterranean ports and sail to Oran, then, keeping within Algerian and Tunisian territorial waters, go on to Tripoli. Cargoes for the return trip, picked up at Algiers, Oran and even Dakar, will consist entirely of material for the German war needs. The new requisitioning imposed on Vichy makes a pool of all available ships. A substantial portion of this fleet will be used in Italian waters for direct transport to Africa. AXIS PRISONERS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyrignt) LONDON, Dec. 6 The number of Axis prisoners to have reached rear areas is over 3000 Italians and about 2000 Germans In one of the forward prisoner of war cages there are another 10C(J Germans and 1500 Italians. In addition, there are numbers of prisoners still in the forward areas and on lines of communications who have not yet been counted.

“THE KILLER” ENEMY PLANES DESTROYED SQUADRON’S GREAT RECORD (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. CopyrlgntJ (Received Dec. 'B, 1 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 7 As announce din yesterday’s Royal Air Force Middle East communique, 20 enemy aircraft were brought down in Libya on Friday. The remarkable fact is now revealed by the Air Ministry that these 20 enemy aircraft were destroyed by two Royal Air Force squadrons, equipped with Tomahawk fighters. Since the average complement of the Royal Air Force sqaudrons accounted roughly for one enemy each, the highlight of the operations was the destruction of five Junkers 87’s in almost as few minutes by an Australian flight lieutenant, appropriately nicknamed “The Killer.” Pilots said that very few of the Stukas which they attacked managed to drop their bombs. If they did get down they stayed down. Another high scorer was a French Canadian pilot who returned to his Royal Air Force squadron a few days ago after recovering from a head injury. He shot down three enemy aircraft.

HUNT FOR GERMANS NEW ZEALAND PATROLS (N.Z.E.F. official News Service) CAIRO, Dec. 6 In heavy dust storms New Zealanders formed mobile patrols to assist in the hunt for German columns in the frontier area. New Zealand patrols successfully engaged German columns at Menastir and toward Bardia. The New Zealanders are still striking back and assisting the British forces, and they are inflicting severe casualties on the enemy. Although El Duda is still mentioned as a focal point in the Libyan fighting, it is not known whether New Zealand troops have taken part in the recent operations there. It is known, however, that in the Gasr el Arid area, west of Bardia, our troops are operating as mobile columns, and that they have inflicted casualties on the enemy. In one raid they succeeded in destroying 60 enemy vehicles at a supply dump, and in capturing hundreds of prisoners. According to a statement issued today, the New Zealand forces in the; course of their attacks since the campaign opened have captured and destroyed enormous quantities of enemy material. The weather in the battle areas remains atrocious, with high winds and blinding dust storms.

TERRIFIC BEAJINU GERMANS’ BIG LOSSES (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. CopynttiU ' LONDON, Dec. 6 * The latest Axis attacks have gained little beyond severe casualties, which, coming soon after the terrific beating-up they received when forcing the Tobruk corridor, induces speculation as to how long they can last out, says the Times’ Cairo correspondent. General Rommel is intelligent and resourceful and knows how to conserve and make the most of dwindling resources of men and material, but there is a limit, and unofficial opinion in Cairo is that the Germans are fast reaching it. The German armoured force must be getting perilously thin. The British, on the contrary, in spite of considerable casualties, have reinforcements and means of getting them to battle. No more than 40 per cent of the conveys from Italy for Libya reach their destination intact, said Commodore Edelsten, Chief of Staff for Naval Operations in the Eastern Mediterranean, in an interview with the Associated Press of America. Commodore Edelsten added that General Rommel was apparently hard pressed, particularly for petrol, motor transport, ammunition and supplies. The Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm were working extraordinarily well in locating and destroying convoys bound for Benghazi and Tripoli. SPLIT IN PARTY SOUTH AFRICAN POLITICS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. copyrlgnli (Received Dec. 8, 11.40 a.m.) CAPETOWN, Dec. 7 Mr Havenga, Leaders of the Afrikander Party, which was formed by followers of General Hertzog, who have ten representatives in the Assembly, speaking at the first party congress, emphasised that the split was caused by General Hertzog’s insistence on the equality of the English and Afrikaan-speaking sections, which the Nationalists refused to adopt.