ENEMY COLUMN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 December 1941, Page 6

ENEMY COLUMN

GATHERED IN SAFELY BY NEW ZEALANDERS ATTACK IN EARLY MORNING. AFTER LONG WESTWARD PUSH. (N.Z.E.F. Official News Service). (Received This Day, 1.15 p.m.) CAIRO, December 1. Mr Chester Wilmot, the Australian broadcaster, who has just returned from the battlefront with a shrapnel wound in the groin, told how the New Zealanders captured a German column of thirty vehicles and 200 men. Auckland and Wellington troops, Under young and able commanders, were pushing westwards, the- Aucklanders on top of the escarpment and the Wellingtonians on lower ground, towards Gambut. Canterbury troops were bringing up the rear. The whole formation had experienced a long and tiring advance, cleaning up pockets of resistance as it proceeded. When night fell and the . moon came out, it was decided to continue the advance westwards with vehicles. After the moon had set, a halt was called and the men camped foi' the night. At dawn the New Zealanders stood to and set about preparing breakfast. In the morning gloom, they noticed smoke and the breakfast fires of another body of troops on their right rear. Vehicles and groups of men could be made out in the misty distance. Apparently the Germans realised immediately that the newcomers would not be friendly disposed towards them. They were in a tough spot, because some of the Wellington troops were encamped right across the only convenient track which led up the escarpment to Capuzzo — the most rapid means of retreat. Jerry took the bold course and decided to make a dash through the corner at which our troops were blocking his way. To some of our troops who were blocking the path of the column, the Germans leaned out and said, “Gute morning, we are in a hurry; be calm.” ■ By this time the situation was in hand —Auckland and Wellington carriers were heading off . the German vehicles, which had already cleared the bivouac area and, with fixed bayonets, oui’ men went in to the attack, forcing the enemy to surrender completely. GERMAN IDEAS OF THE DESERT OFFENSIVE. “NO.QUESTION OF FAR-FLUNG OBJECTIVE.” (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 1.10 p.m.) , LONDON, December 1. A Berlin military spokesman says the British in North Africa have suffered extremely heavy losses. There can be no talk of a large encirclement operation, with a far-flung objective. The Axis forces in the desert have shown that they know how to stand their ground against superior enemy forces. PRESSURE ON CORRIDOR HEAVIER FROM WEST THAN EAST. 1 THOUSAND GERMAN PRISONERS SENT TO CAIRO. (Received This Day, 1.10 p.m.) LONDON, December 1. A military spokesman in Cairo says pressure on the Tobruk corridor is heavier from the west than from the cast. The German attack from the west apparently was an attempt by the 15th Division to break through the corridor with the object of reaching the remnants of the 21st Division, which was more than severely battered. \ A thousand Germans taken prisoner in Libya have been sent to vast camps on the outskirts of Cairo.