Evening star., 1942-06-25
Axis Tanks Advance
go Miles in Egypt;
u. S. Raids Benqusii
British Admit Loss
Of z StronghoIds;
Foe Claims ; More
By the Associated Press.


CAIRO, June 25.-PoWerful
Axis tank forces thrust more
than go miles into Egypt today,
forcing the British to fall back
under a covering fire, but United
States Army flyers dealt the
enemy a Furnishing blow with a
second raid on the big supply
base of Bengasi, $50 miles to the
rear.
British Army headquarters an
nounced that the British 9th Armv
had abandoned the frontier strong
holds of Salum and Sidi Omar and
that Nazi Field Marshal Erwin ROM
mePs advance forces were southeast
of Sidi Barrani, with British mobile
units fighting a fierce rear-guard
action.
German and Italian high
commands claimed capture not
only of Salum, but also of Sidi
Barrani, Halfaya Pass and Fort
CapuZzoD
Sweep Northeastward.
The RAF disclosed that the Ger.
mans and Italians in heavy strength
were moving across all day yesterday
to the south Of Bir Sheferzen, which
is Is miles south of Sidi Omar and
about 40 miles from the Mediter-
ranean.
The enemy then swung northeast
ward, being kept under continual
and damaging attack by bombers
and fighters of the RAF and the
South African Air Force.
Meanwhile, the United States
flyers in their four -motored Con-
solldated Liberator bombers teamed
with the Raj for the second time
thls week to launch a heavy over
night bombardment of Bengasi,
principal entry port in Libya for
Axis supplies.
The Raj announced that shipping
IN the harbor was the objective as
Marshal Rommel raced to make
good his earlier Libyan losses in
anticipation of his drive toward
Cairo and Alexandria, now only
about 300 and 220 miles, respectively,
away from his advanced elements.
The Axis drive surged up to. if not
past, the highwater mark of the
Italian offensive of the fall of 1910.
Fighters Keep Up Attack.
Fighter formations kept up con-
slant attack all over the forward
area and ranged westward to Tmin1i
and Derna, the RAF announced.
Bombers roaring out to sea in the
hunt for Axis supply ships en- route
to Africa, were declared to have
set fire to one or two large enemy
vessels in a convoy off Palermo,
Sicily, Monday night.
BY contrast, Axis air activity over
the forward battle area was de-
scrlbed as slight, although enemy
bombers caused slight damage in
raids Tuesday night and last night
on coastal areas near Daba and
Matruh.
For the moment, at least, the Axis
seemed to be concentrating on the
land push.
Nature Of Advance Unclear.
Advance Axis elements reached a
point southeast of Sidi Barrani YES
terday, British headquarters said,
thus raising the likelihood that by
now the invaders might have pene-
trated still deeper into Egyptian ter
ritory.
The presence of the invaders
southeast of Sidi Barrani indicated
that the evacuation of Salum and
Sidi Omar had been forced by a
flank movement.
Such a flanking movement would
enable the German and Italian
forces to bypass the much-fought-
over Halfaya CHellfre) Pass, where
the British previously we're reported
occupying strong positions.
Halfaya Pass is slightly east and
south of Salum, which is about 5
miles inside the Egyptian frontier.
The British have been In pos
session of Sidi Barrani since De-
cember II, 1910, when they drove
out Italian troops which had oc-
cupied the town less than three
months before and launched a drive
which swept 400 miles across the
Libyan desert.
Marshal Rommel's main problem
appeared to be one of supply-a
problem that will become increas-
(See EGYPT, Page A-4D