BADLY CUT UP

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 November 1941, Page 6

BADLY CUT UP

GALLANT SOUTH AFRICAN BRIGADE CONFLICT WITH ENEMY TANKS. AID GIVEN BY BRITISH FORCE. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.45 p.m.) LONDON, November 28. “The Times” correspondent with the Eighth Army< says some of the most heroic actions of the campaign thus far have been fought by .the Fifth South African Brigade, • which after inflicting heavy damage on the enemy, was finally overrun on November 22 by a strong tank attack. The brigade advanced to attack the Sidi Rezegh aerodrome, which the Germans had recaptured on the previous day, but encountered such terrific artillery, mortar and machine-gun fire that it was withdrawn after suffering heavy casualties. The brigade quickly reformed, but was suddenly attacked by German tanks, seven abreast- and ten deep. The South Africans’ field -guns and anti-tank guns fired until their ammunition was exhausted, knocking out one tank after another, but still the Germans came on. The riflemen were helpless, and were being rounded up as prisoners when some British tanks broke through. They were not strong enough to turn defeat into victory, but their intervention enabled a considerable number of South Africans to escape. > ' r ? CASUALTY FIGURES OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT IN PRETORIA. (Received This Day, 12.35 p.m.) LONDON, November 28. It was officially announced in Pretoria that the Fifth South African Brigade’s casualties at Sidi Rezegh did not exceed 1,200. Men are still escaping, for which reason the final figure maybe much smaller. I