LIBYAN SITUATION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 January 1942, Page 4

LIBYAN SITUATION

NO ALTERATION REPORTED EVENTS OF PAST WEEK. SERIES OF ENGAGEMENTS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.30 a.m.) RUGBY, January 28. A Middle East Cairo communique states: “The situation generally remains unaltered. With the conclusion of what may be the first phase of the present operations it is now possible to give a clearer picture of the fighting .which has taken place. Last week for seven days highly mobile German columns operated with skill and determination over a wide area from El Agheila to Msus, their main axis of advance being along the road joining these places. During this phase the heavy going on the road, caused by abnormal rain, together with the fluid character of the fighting made it impossible for us to concentrate in any one area and operations resolved into a series of engagements between the enemy's columns and ours, which fought with equal tenacity. Exploiting his initial success on January 21 and 22, when strong columns penetrated our light screen and reoccupied Jedabaya, the enemy regained a local initiative in this area. Enemy troops are in Msus and our mobile columns and patrols are in touch vzith the enemy on the general line from Solluk to just north-east of Msus, with patrols well forward to the south. Throughout the operations the co-operation of our air forces has been magnificent. Havoc was observed amongst enemy mechanised transport between Antelat and Msus, while enemy columns at Antelat and about Msus itself were successfully engaged.” INTENSIVE ATTACKS MADE BY R.A.F. FIGHTERS AND BOMBERS. MUCH DESTRUCTION SEEN. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.30 a.m.) RUGBY, January 28. A R.A.F. Middle East communique states: “Our fighters continued intensive attacks on enemy motorised units on the Msus-Antelat and Msus-Shelei-dima tracks throughout Tuesday. Sheleidima is about twenty miles southeast of Soluk. These operations were most successful and many enemy motor transport vehicles were destroyed, set on fire or severely damaged. z “Our aircraft also attacked tented camps and other objectives in the battle area with good results. Elsewhere a further force of fighters machinegunned enemy road convoys west of Sirte, a number of vehicles being destroyed. During Monday night our bombers again raided enemy motor transport in the Jedabaya and El Agheila areas. Lorries, fuel-carrying transport and a wireless station near Homs in Tripolitania were effectively bombed and machine-gunned by our aircraft during the night. “At Catania, in Sicily, our bombs straddled hangars and hits were made on runways. At Comiso, in Sicily, buildings, hangars and runways were hit and a violent explosion was observed. One of our aircraft is missing.” OIL SUPPLIES ALLEGED GERMAN SHORTAGE. QUESTION IN COMMONS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.20 a.m.) RUGBY, January 28. Mr Attlee, the Lord Privy Seal, was asked in the House of Commons whether he could give the text of an order of the German High Command concerning a shortage of oil supplies which was captured from General Rommel’s forces in Libya. He the actual document had. not been received in this country. It was, however, as follows: “Because of the great expenditure of fuel in the East, the fuel situation of the Reich is severely strained. The import of fuel from Europe for panzer groups in Africa has been accordingdy severely reduced. In particular, we cannot in future guarantee replacement of fuel lost through enemy action.” In reply to a further question whether it was not possible that this was a fictitious order, in view of General Rommel’s further advance, Mr Attlee agreed that there was a danger of relying on captured documents. ,