Evening star., 1941-12-30
Libya Drive Continues
After Tank Battle,
British Report
Both Sides Claiming
Successes in Clash
South Of Beneosi

South Of Beneosi
Axis forces fighting a rearguard
action against advancing British in
Libya attempted to make stand
in the Agedabia sector, 80 miles
south Of Bengasi, and both sides
claimed destruction of armored units
in the ensuing tank battle, the As
sociated Press reported today.
In Cairo the British Near East
command announced that AZ Axis
tanks had been knocked out of the
Libyan battle in an unsuccessful
attempt to stall Britain's westward
drive, and in Rome the Italian high
command said a total Of IA British
armored units had been destroyed in
continuing battle around Agedabia.
The Italian claim was a dozen or
so over the number reported in yes
terday's communique as having been
destroyed.
The number of prisoners, the Ital-
ians and Germans announced today,
has risen to several hundred.
Pass Axis Hurdle.
The British command in Cairo
said the clash Of armored forces oc-
Cured south of Agedabia; indicating
that Britain's vanguards had passed
that Axis hurdle ana we're some
where along the road to El Agheila,
highwater mark of the first British
campaign and about 80 miles beyond
Agedabia on the coastal highway
skirting the Gulf of Sirte.
The Cairo communique said the
tank battle was the result of yet q
further" Axis effort Ito interfere
with our operations.
However, it said, % Axis tanks
were destroyed and 20 more suffered
serious damage" and our pressure
on the enemy is being maintained. ."
The British said five more truck
loads Of German infantrymen were
captured in the Agedabia area and
that air operations were particularly
successful there.
| British military commentators in
London said that while the engage
ment was "of some magnitude" il
was obviously only part of the op.
Grafton which is still going on" anc
the main battle remains to be
fought. They said they had "nc
confirmation whatever" OF tht
/ claims in German and Italian com
muniques that "A British tanks hac
been destroyed in the fight.
Enemy Outpost Demolished.
To the east, far behind the shift
ing desert front, the British com
munique said an enemy outpost and
| ammunition dump near the Egyp.
tian frontier were demolished by
artillery fire.
British planes ranged as far west
as HONS. go miles east of Tropoli
where direct hits were scored or
trucks and a gasoline tanker, an R
A. F. communique said.
Some Axis troops were still dug ir
at Bardia, on the Egyptian frontier
but British and Free French plane.
attacked them frequently.
The weather in Libya has been
very bad. with pouring rain slow
ing up all movement" a British mil
itary commentator in London said
The commentator reported that
such weather would handicap the
British more than the Germans h-
cause the British depend largely on
lighter and faster tanks than those
Of the Axis. ordinarily having greater
maneuverability but suffering mos
from hard going
Weather conditions also are han
dicapping the British in utilization
of their superior air strength agains
German Gen. Edwin Rommel'
units, he said.
Artillery Exchanges.
Far to the east of Agedabia. nea
the Egyptian-Libyan border, inten
sive artillery exchanges were re
ported on the Salum front, while a
Bardia, the italian high comman
said, an attack of armored units ha
been repulSed.
Italian and German bombers car
ried out low level attacks "an
bombed with good results enem
supply columns and concentration
OF the enemy's armored columns,
the high command added.
German bombers sank a larg
sailing ship of Valletta. Malta,
British Mediterranean base, and at
tackled airdromes on the island da
and night. the German high com
mand reported.
German fighters were reporte
to have destroyed six British plane:
five of them in aerial combat.
Virginio Gayda, Fascist editoria
spokesman. today blamed what h
called Italy's respect for the Egyp
tian population and failure to bonn
Egyptian territory for her reverse
in Libya, a dispatch transmitted b.
Andi news agency said.
TT is certain that if Italy ha'
had from the first day of the wa
full liberty of action against Egyp
tan territory she could more easil
have struck at the centers vital t,
the British offensive, and hav
stif1ed at their birth the variou
moves attempted against Libya," h
wrote.