LIBYA BATTLES

Waikato Times, Volume 129, Issue 21601, 11 December 1941, Page 6

LIBYA BATTLES

EL ADEM CAPTURED CONTACT OF FORCES ENEMY HARASSED LONDON, Dec. 10 All the indications point to more encouraging news from Libya. The latest communiques report the capture of El Adem, 20 miles south of Tobruk, and the strengthening of the contacts between Tobruk and the advance units of the British forces. The enemy has not made any movement of note and is being constantly harassed by our patrols. The situation in North Africa continues to develop favourably. The recapture of El Adem south of Tobruk means that the junction with the British forces in the Tobruk perimeter, which was re-established a few days ago, is consolidated. Meanwhile mobile British forces continue to operate round the enemy's southern flank and push out westwards towards his communications. There is now no organised resistance east of Tobruk, except the three remaining isolated points of Bardia, Hellfire Pass and Ghirba, on the frontier, which are not being assaulted fiercely, in order not to waste lives. The mopping up of small fugitive parties continues between the frontier and Tobruk. Raising of Siege The raising of the siege o£ Tobruk is the most important announcement m a Cairo Headquarters communique, which states: On December 9 British troops from Tobruk joined hands in El Adem with South African and Indian troops from the south-east, although the enemy is still in strength on the western defences, The siege of Tobruk, therefore, has been raised and road communication opened with the east. The westerly movement of the enemy referred to in yesterday’s communique has now apparently been accelerated under the vigorous pressure of our forces, with the fullest and most effective co-operation of our air forces. The remaining enemy armoured forces are endeavouring to cover this westerly movement, ana one counter-attack was made yesterday by about twenty tanks. This attack, however, was repulsed, two enemy tanks being destroyed. El Adem itself was found to be unoccupied by the enemy and our columns working south-west from that place maintained pressure all the day on enemy positions held with artillery and some tanks, inflicting heavy casualties and taking a number of prisoners. An enemy infantry column immediately south of El Adem was driven westward with heavy losses. Mopping-up Operations Simultaneously South African armoured cars and mobile columns of Buffs, Punjabi and Rajput troops have been working round the enemy’s right rear towards Acroma. Mopping-up operations north of the road between Bardia and Tobruk have continued and our occupation of big supply centres which the enemy had established at Gambut is confirmed. During this mopping-up 27 abandoned tanks were found at what had evidently been a German repair shop. On the coast near Tobruk an enemy hospital was seen, outside which were displayed signs asking for water. In yesterday’s operations a few miles west of El Duda about 150 prisoners were taken, most of them German. Planes Shot Down A Royal Air Force Middle East communique states: Dispersed aircraft at the Derna aerodrome and motor transport on the roads in the vicinity of Derna were bombed on Monday night. Other attacks were made on tanks and motor trans- ■ ports in the El Adem area, with good results.

The Derna aerodrome was again raided yesterday. Direct hits were obtained on two aircraft on the ground. The Tmimi aerodrome was also attacked, bombs falling among aircraft in the dispersal area. One enemy aircraft was shot down near Martuba by our bombers, while in the fighter combats which developed over the battle area yesterday two Junkers and two Messerschmitts were shot down. Other enemy aircraft were extremely heavily damaged. Machine-gun attacks were made on the landing-ground at El Agheila and on traffic moving along tne El Agheila-Jedabaya road, and from these and other operations eleven of our aircraft are missing, but the pilots of a number of fighters are safe.