Evening star., 1941-11-24
Africa
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Africa
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ing to coalesce into action that can
be Defined" he said, but at present
it is very difficult to get clear
picture.
There is an amazing battle going
on in an area 40 by 40 miles Q,600
square miles, and there are no
regular lines and no telephone COM
municatlonS.'
Participa ton of the infantry
forces was termed the major de-
velopment of the great tank battle.
Heretofore British infantry forma-
tions had fought mainly on the
frontier area.
The Axis troops trapped along the
Egyptian -Libyan border, IN the
Halfaya- -Sidi Omar area, were being
pressed from the rear by lnolan
troops. the communique said.
The British forces which broke out
from Tobruk last week were said TO
be consolidating their positions after
capturing among other material a
number of enemy field guns
Gambut 40 Miles From TObruk.
Gambut was reported taken by
New Zealand forces, as was Bardla
| Gambut is on the main coastal high
way approximately 35 miles beyond
| Bardia and about 40 miles short OF
Tobruk. 1t lies about miles north
east of Sidi Omar Nuovo, capture
of which was announced yesterday
For the second night in success
sion the tanks in the Sldl Rezegh
region fought. pausing only to make
certain that they would not attack
their own forces in the darkness
Then the fight resumed vigorously
as dawn broke.
The general impression prevailed
that the British were knocking Out
more tanks than the Germans.
In the capture of Gambut the
New Zealanders struck what may be
a major blow, for that whole area
Is dotted with great dumps Of the
Germans gasoline, ammunition and
| food. In addition the nearby air.
field probably fell into British hands
it was said here.
The Germans now must rely
chiefly for supplies on Gazala and
Derna, respectively 40 and 120 miles
west of Tobruk.
16 Planes Are Claimed.
The R. A. F. announced it had
shot down Is Axis planes over the
Libyan battlefield yesterday and
destroyed 5 more on the ground
Indicating the bitter character OF
the air combat, the r. A. F. ad-
mitted the loss of 13 Of its own
planes.
The British declared their tank
were outfighting the Axis armoret
forces on the wind-swept sands
that their planes held mastery o
the skies, and that their fleet, almos
unopposed was pounding the Axis
Notifications and sinking its suppl.
ships.
At the end of the first week sine
the lightning onset of Britain
offensive last Tuesday dawn, the.
claimed these achievements:
l. -Four Axis fOrces-largely Ger
man now, with the Italians virtual,
knocked out-have been penned in
side strong traps of British tanks.
2. The strcngholds of Gambut
Bardia, Sidi Azeiz and Sidi Oma
Nuovo, as well as Fort Capuzze
have been captured. An unofflcia
British report said $4,000 Axis pris
oners were taken.
3. At sea two Axis cruisers. a de
stroyer and several supply ships wer
listed as torpedoed by submarine an
air attack in the Mediterranean.
100 Planes Reported Destroyed.
a. In the air 100 German an
italian planes were said to have bee
destroyed, and the Axis was declare
to have made no effective challeng
so far to large British air force
striking far and wide in the desert.
Britain's own tank losses admit
tedly have been heavy but Axi
losses have been placed as high q
3-to-1. According to one source, tn
British have knocked out 600 tank
Officials, however, declared n
precise figures could be tailed fc
losses on either side. They com
pared the struggle to sea battl
,, with the land fleets on both side
free to roam, fight, break of an
fight again miles away without
decision across the vast wasteland
!, CThe German high command
: said yesterday the British had
, lost 260 tanks and 200 armored
/ cars through Saturday. The
{ Italians placed British losses at
, about $50 tanks and cars. They
( added a Warship OF unstated size
and a submarine to Britain's re-
ported losses)
Around Sidi Rezegh Germa
forces apparently had failed
break out of the pocket in whic
the British quickly sealed them la
week near Tobruk.
"A
A hemmed in in the Salum- -Halfa,
: area near the border between Lib.
IL and Egypt.
Great Ring Thrown Up.
o Indian and New Zealand troo
u we're reported to have thrown
Z great ring around this force, whi'
5 still held strong positions. The o
: cupation of Bardia was said
have blocked its exit and cut {
a pipeline which was Salum's or
l. source of water
= Bardia was found to have be
n abandoned when the British e
% tered it for the second time in Il
war. It fell to them last Janua
n 5, but the Germans retook it
ii April.
: Pocket No. 8, the British sa
3 was between Gambut and the Goa
,e in the area east 81 Tobruk Al
n northwest of Bardia.
j. The fourth pocket, an 1tali'
force showed westward when Br'
S. aims main armored columns plung
n through toward Tobruk, was I