GERMAN PANZERS FORCED TO WITHDRAW

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 126, 30 May 1942, Page 7

GERMAN PANZERS FORCED TO WITHDRAW

AXIS HEAVILY HIT

Libyan Push Begun Under

Hitler's Orders

U.P.A. and British WireleM.

Rec. 1 p.m. LONDON, May 29. The position of the British in the battle now being fought in Libya is described by an agency correspondent as being not unsatisfactory. Despite Axis infiltration behind the British lines, at no point has the line been broken, and desperate enemy attacks south of El Adem have been repelled with heavy losses, by British mobile artillery.

The Free French destroyed 35 out of an attacking force of 70 tanks Jru Ita 1 iiin Arriete Division. Throughout the battle there was perfect co-operation between the R.A.F. and the land forces, while Axis air activity has been on a small scale, rhe number of vehicles destroyed by the R.A.F. since the battle began runs into many hundreds. It is estimated that 250 enemy tanks came round the British southern positions, but the fact that the loth Panzer Division, which went as far as Sidi Rezegh, had to withdraw indicates that heavy losses have been sustained. After the fourth day of the battle it appears likely that the Axis High Command has had only one objective, to dash to Tobruk, anil that the push has been initiated on Hitler's orders, to give the Germans a major success which is badly needed. The correspondent says he was recently able to see the tremendous work carried out on the Tobruk defences since November.

Military opinion is that the majority of the enemy armoured units concentrated round Knightsbridge are 20 miles south-west of Tobruk. They are being engaged by British forces, and the result of the operations is not yet known. Mention of enemy forces at El Adem and Sidi Rezegh respectively, south and south-east of Tobruk, is not interpreted as a retirement from Bir Hacheim or Gazala.

British Strike In Enemy's Rear A statement in the communique whtch it. is considered may prove of great significance is that British armoured units have successfully attacked enemy supply columns— which necessarily are in the rear of their attacking units.

Reports from the desert continue to be favourable. They indicate that the Axis forces are taking severe Punishment from the Royal Air Force, which appears to have wrested the initiative from the German land forces and taken heavy toll of their supply columns.

A crack British tank brigade pounced on the panzers, which turned north-east from Bir Hacheim, said the Cairo correspondent of the Associated Press earlier. Deadly fighting was progressing and the German casualties were reported to be mounting every hour. According to the Daily Express correspondent in Cairo the Germans have fouled a minefield here and there, hut fighting mostly is going on in the open desert, where it is a clearcut issue as to who has the better tanks and better soldiers.

Berlin has not yet said anything about the fighting in Libya.

R.A.F. Attacks Axis Columns The Middle East communique says fighters and bombers were constantly active yesterday. An enemy column of tanks and motor transport between Bir Ilacheim and Acroma and also enemy landing grounds at Martuba were effectively attacked and three enemy planes destroyed. Enemy aerial activity was on a reduced scale. During Wednesday night we attacked enemy columns between Bengasi and Jedabaya and also shot down two Junkers over Tohruk. Targets in Sicily were also bombed. Five of our planes arc missing from all these operations, but three of the pilots are safe.