Evening star., 1941-11-21
'ContoctWith obruk
.MoyHove BeenMode
Already, British Say
One Column Sturts
By-Possing City to
Trop Besiegers

BY the Associated Press.
CAIRO, Egypt, Nov. 2l-Brit-
ish forces driving into Libya for
a full scale test of strength with
Axis armies in North Africa may
have made contact with
the long-encircled defenders of
Tobruk, it was indicated unoffl-
cially today.
(At Bath, England. Admiral
Sir Dudley Pound tod an audi
ence that Just before I came to
this meeting I was told it was
expected Tobruk would be re-
lieved almost immediately
In London Reuters said it was
understood that British and ma
tive patriot" forces are closing
in on Gondar and that continue
Gus stream of refugees was leav-
ing that last Italian stronghold
in Ethiopia
Official sources made no secret
that such contact was the aim Of
one of two main British columns
which started to the west from
the Egyptian frontier four days ago,
but said they were unable to con-
firm that the TObruk garrison ac-
tuallv had been reached.
"A German military spokesman,
who described the British push as
a real power drive declined to
comment on the reports that the
British might have reached
Tobruk but apparently gave
them little credenCeD
Begin Bv-Passing City.
A second British column was de-
clared officially to have started 10
bypass Tobruk over the high escarp-
ment TO the south of the port.
Meanwhile, an R. A. F. COM
munique said intensive operations
were carried out in support of the
land forces and claimed "a Axis
warplanes were shot down yesterday
with a loss of nine British aircraft.
Raiders ranged the airWays all
the way across Libya. bombing
Bardia. Derna Bengasi and Tripoli
as well as Italian Naples, Messina
and BrindlSi.
The announcement Of the British
0th Army headquarters was taken to
indicate that at least part Of the
Axis forces which have held the
British garrison at Tobruk encircled
since last April now are caught be-
tween the garrison and the attacking
columns.
The British declared that two
main columns were carrying the
fight to the west across the Axis
held wasteland
Battle 40 Miles South.
One Of these was aimed directly at
Tobruk. An earlier announcement
declared that Rezegh. on the escarp-
ment barely 10 miles from the outer
perlmeter Of TObruk's defenses, al
ready had fallen into British hands.
The second column was said to
have engaged Italian armored forces
on the plateau 40 miles south of the
beleaguered seaport in the vicinity
Of Biz El Cobb, where it was indi-
Gated that test of tank strength
in the four-day-old desert drive
might be devloping.
An authoritaye source in Lon
don said. however. that "the
main battle has not yet been
joined and asserted that it was
too soon TO predict results
BY penetrating almost to Tobruk
within the first 36 hours Of this
second British campaign across
Libyas wastelands. the British
threatened to isolate an important
part of the Axis troops.
Deployed on 140-Mile Line.
Britain's announced purpose was
destruction of all German and Ital-
ian forces in North Africa. and more
essential to it even than relief of
the beleaguered garrison was the
potential bottling up of German
Gen. Erwin Rommel's North African
corps and the success of American
made equipment in its first ma ior
test on the desolate Libyan sands.
Actually, the thrust 10 Rezegh Wa
the central spearhead of British
forces which now are deployed along
a base line Of about l40 miles from
| Salum to the oasis of Giarabub and
fighting on a deep front created by
columns driving into Axis territory
| Meager details did not tell whether
( the British yet had encountered tho
main Italian strength.
Some Italian tanks and $50 FasciSt
| prisoners were taken, however, in Il
clash at Bir Ell Cobb, desert cara
van point about 65 miles from Sidl
Omar, last nights communique sale.
Other British tanks, apparently
veering northward toward the sea
from the Sidi Omar-Tobruk line. It
added. sighted a German tank force
about 80 miles west of Fort Capuzzo,
but it withdrew before it could be
brought to battle"
Planes Put on Pressure.
With the British on what Prime
Minister Churchill said were even or
better terms with the Axis for TIE
first time in any offensive of this
war, the communique reported sat-
isfactory developments on the entire
front and relentless pressure on AXIS
defense points between Halfaya--
"Hellfire Pass"-and Sidi Omar.
Part of the pressure was applied
by the r. A. F.. heavily equipped
with American-made planes. and
(See AFRICA, Page A-5D
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