Evening star., 1942-06-18
Defenders Split;
One Force Holds
Key Libyon Base
Ry the Associated Press.

Hy the Associated Press.
CAIRO, June 18.-The British
fell back to fortified positions
near the Egyptian frontier today
leaving the famous fortress of
Tobruk all but surrounded by
Marshal Erwin RommelS Ger
man and Italian divisions.
Only coastal road remained
open to link Tobruk with the Egyp-
ton border 80 miles eastward.
Apparently British Gen. Neil M.
Ritchie's 9th Army split into two
forces, one remaining to man the
defenses of Tobruk against lmml-
nent onslaught or a siege such as
that which endured for nearly eight
months in 1941.
0n Berlin the German high
command reported that the Brit
ish Army in Libya had been split
into two parts, one of which has
fallen back on Tobruk. while
strong German and Italian tank
formations are pursuing other
British forces fleeing in the dl-
rection of Bardia.
"A military spokesman in Ber-
lin asserted tonight that this
amounted to the collapse of the
9th British Army.
Several desert forts in the
southern perimeter of Tobruks
defenses have been captured. the
high command added. An earlier
announcement said Axis forces
had occupied British base south
of Ell Adem, 18 miles below
bruk and captured 500 prisoner
Tobruk Perimeter Held.
British forces still were on the
perimeter of Tobruk's south and
southwest defenses, where they
hurled back repeated Axis assaults
last year and where they stood when
relieved by a British westward
offensive December 10, 194l.
Thus the situation now was almost
the same as that during the long
siege.
Allied air squadrons. supporting
the ground forces, were declared to
have broken all records for bombing
and strafing as the enemy moved
eastward and the British pulled out
Of El Adem and Sidi Rezegh.
The desert trails were Uttered with
vehicles wrecked or burned by the
Allied pilots.
New Lines Established.
British headquarters reported the
removal of the garrisons of El Adem,
l8 miles south of Tobruk, and Sidi
Rezegh, 25 miles to the southeast,
strong points of their realigned de-
lenses since the Ain ell Gazala-Bir
Hacheim line was shattered by Ger
manhattan attacks.
The troops set up new lines be-
tween Tobruk and the Egyptian
frontier, British observers said.
The Reuters correspondent at
Cairo reported Tobruk was
practically surrounded" with
the coastal road the only remain
ing open route to the east.
The Italian high command
asserted aerial reconnaissance
showed that the British had
started a general withdrawal to-
ward the Egyptian border)
Held Since January %, 1941.
Tobruk has been held by the
British since they captured it from
the Italians January %, 1941. Its
small but deep harbor is the best
for more than 1000 miles between
Alexandria, Egypt, and Sfax, Tu-
nisia.
In the absence of direct word con-
cerning Acroma. 20 miles west OF
Tobruk. British quarters believed 1t
probable that the British forces had
retreated from there.
The present positions were not
defined, however, and communiQue
said:
Our mobile forces are continu-
ing to harass the enemy in the area
south and west Of Tobruk," COM
munique said.
Land communications with Tobruk
remained opened. But a thrust
Co.. rrDUA nona Ae(