HEAVY LOSSES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 July 1942, Page 3

HEAVY LOSSES

INFLICTED ON ENEMY BY NEW ZEALANDERS MR CHURCHILL CHEERED IN COMMONS. NO IMMEDIATE STATEMENT ON BATTLE. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, June 30. A communique issued in Cairo today states: “Fierce fighting continued yesterday over a wide area, covering several hundred square miles between Mersa Matruh and Fuka. Our forces engaged a large force of enemy tanks and vehicles on Sunday to the west of Fuka, and the enemy withdrew, but yesterday he advanced again and was again engaged in the same area by our forces. There was heavy fighting yesterday in the area south of Mersa Matruh. “On Sunday night New Zealand battle groups had a successful engagement with enemy armoured forces and infantry, and a number of enemy tanks were destroyed and heavy casualties were inflicted on the enemy in a bayonet attack.” The British United Press says that the reinforcements which have already reached the Eighth Army, including units of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force under the command of Lieu-tenant-General Freyberg, are all seasoned desert fighters. The New Zealanders repulsed three panzer and two infantry attacks in the first stages of the fighting round Mersa Matruh, inflicting heavy casualties. It is reported from Cairo that an Axis column is now advancing over the desert toward the oasis of Siwa, 160 miles south-west of Mersa Matruh. In the House of Commons today Mr Churchill, who was roundly cheered on his appearance there, announced: “I do not propose to make any statement today about the momentous battle now being fought in Egypt, but I feel the House would wish to know that on June 25 General Auchinleck (Com-mander-in-Chief, Middle East) assumed the command of the Eighth Army personally in place of Major-General Ritchie. As soon as General Auchinleck consulted the Government on the decisions he had taken, he was informed that they had our approval.”