Evening star., 1941-12-16

Great Battle Of Tanks
Is Raging in Libya;
NdziS EncircIed
Cairo Reports Advance
To Heart of Main
Enemy Position
By the Associated Press

By the Associated Press.
British armored forces have out
flanked and brought to battle all
remaining German tank forces IN
Libya and smashed to the heart OF
the main German and Italian posi-
ton, despite terrific bomber attacks,
the British high command in Cairo
announced today.
The communique said a British
column carried out wide outflank-
ing movement which swept 80 miles
past GaZala to a point $50 miles
deep in Libyan territory, where 1t
attacked the Axis reserves and rear.
Back of this area, main British
and Axis forces were joined in
battle which may decide the fate of
the British North African campaign.
Threaten to Cut Of Nazis.
The London military commentator
said the outflanking movement
threatened to cut of Nazi Gen. Err
win Rommels army entirely, but
that the coastal road northwest from
the GaZala area to Tmimi and
Derna was still in Axis hands. The
commentator said Gen. Rommel
probably would attempt to with
draw very rapidly toward the road,
which the British were threatening.
British forces continuing their ad-
vance southwest of Gazala despite
"resolute opposition and repeated
counterattacks" by German and
Italian infantry yesterday reached
Alem Hanna, some Is miles south
west of Gazala, the communique re-
lated.
There they attacked "a defensive
position held by strong elements OF
one German and three Italian di-
visions supported by all the re-
naming German tank strength" il
continued.
After heavy fighting, during
which the center of the enemy po-
sition was penetrated in spite of two
determined counterattacks by Ger
man motorized infantry and tanks
progress was made.
The enemy supported theil
counterattacks with their maximum
available force of dive bombers ano
with other forms of air attack, bu
our air forces effectively counterec
these activities"
Continuing Thrust.
The force which carried out tn,
wide outflanking movement, it wa!
stated, had reached Halegh Ell Ole
BAN, some 30 miles west of Gazala
by late yesterday. From there, th'
communique said, they were con
tinuing their thrust" against th'
Axis reserves and rear.
Besides inf1icting many casualtie.
yesterday the British destroyed 30(
tons of Axis ammunition. the com.
munique said In the GaZala area
itself British units were said to have
! made satisfactory progress" againsI
strong Axis forces entrenched neal
the coast.
New Zealand troops at Gazals
were credited with capture of g
number of 75-mm. guns, many ma
chine guns and l,l0O prisoners. Pol
| ish troops striking west of Gozals
took 200 additional prisoners, the
communique said.
German and italian detachments
isolated at Bardia and Halfaya in
the Egyptian frontier area were at
| tackled by South African troops, who
took one Axis strong point, the COM
| munique concluded
In London, 1t. Col. L. c. M S
Amery, Secretary of State for India
said the Libyan campaign nov
seems definitely turning toward &
great decisive victory" He spoke
at luncheon of the Oversee!
League.
Col. Amery, discussing theh Fa
East. said that so long as we holc
Singapore no really formidable at
tack can develop against countries
lying within the Indian Ocean anc
sooner or later we can begin tha
further advance which will end only
when Japan sues for peace"
He said the Royal Indian navy
was confronted with the prospect OF
a battle no less critical than tht
battle of the Atlantic.
An italian communique comment
ing on the Libya fighting. reported
that Fascist motorized and armorec
divisions. supported by large Ger.
man units, were fighting tenacious
| ly against the British sweep to the
west, inf1icting heavy losses
The daily italian war bulletin is
sued In Rome claimed the capture
of a British commander.
Nazis Report Heavy Battles.
The German high command sale
| German forces were fighting heavy
defensive battles" west of Tobruk.
italian and German troops
smashed strong sections of the
enemy" took several hundred pris-
oners including a brigadier, anc
captured or destroyed a large num-
Der of tanks and guns. the Ber-
lin communique claimed.
It also asserted that German
bombers set fire to Tobruk quays anc
attacked the railway center of Abl
Schaidan in Northern Egypt.