Wairarapa Times-Age SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1942. EBB AND FLOW IN LIBYA.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 February 1942, Page 2

Wairarapa Times-Age SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1942. EBB AND FLOW IN LIBYA.

AT an immediate view it is anything but gratifying news that. Derna has once again been abandoned to the Axis forces in Libya This means that half or more of the coastal region of Cyrenaica between Benghazi and the Egyptian lrontiei,.is qo’ain in enemy hands, although General Rommel s units, as inhave made much less extended progress in the desert area south of the coastal ranges and escarpment. Admittedly an able commander, Rommel no doubt is hoping to keep alive the threat to Egypt and the Suez Canal from the west until Ihe Axis is able to launch another attack irom the nortl by way of the Balkans, and P-haps o nn< ertake other co-ordinated movements. It is chai that the eiwmv forces in Libya have been reinforced on a d-airly substantial scale in spte of the heavy, continuing toll taken in naval and air attacks on their sea and laud suppl) routes and bases—the latter including embarkation ports 111 Italv and Sicilv. The tremendous cost at which Rommel s arm) is being supplied and reinforced no doubt must be accepted as a measure of the importance the enemy attaches to the Noil African campaign.

It seems also to be well establshed, however, that there is no parallel between the present British withdrawal in Cyrenaica and the hurried retreat the small British and Imperial then holding the province were forced to make in the el months of last year. Recent reports have mdieated that Ihi brunt of the fighting retreat, which has now extended beyond Derna—a retreat in the course of which more or Jess substantial, losses have been inflicted on the enemy—has been borne by a single Indian division. It has also been mentioned, briefly that other seasoned divisions are available, but these do not, seem io have been called upon to take any active part m the fighting of the last week or two in the coastal zone.

"While the fact, that Rommel has been reinforced, with the treacherous assistance, as is now shown clearly, of the Vichy Government, stands undisputed, the possibility appears that current British tactics in Libya may embody an element ot drawing the enemy on. Courageous audacity has been desciibed as the predominant characteristic of General Sir Claude Auchinleck’s leadership, but at present he appears io be rather evading, or delaying, than inviting a decisive encounter, there mav be important underlying considerations, some of them relating to war areas far distant from Libya. Even at a direct view however, there are grounds on which it may be considered much better to fight Rommel to a finish in Libya than to allow him to withdraw any considerable part of his forces to Tripolitania, and perhaps info areas still further west. The recovery by the enemy for the time being of a substantial part particularly of the coastal area of Cyrenaica is not necessarily of major importance. ,