ENEMY RETREAT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 December 1942, Page 4

ENEMY RETREAT

MADE UNDER PRESSURE BUT WITHOUT ANY REAL FIGHTING. FACTOR OF WATER SUPPLIES, (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.55 'a.m.) RUGBY, December 14. For the first time in this war a German army, having come up against equal or superior British forces, has declined combat. It was no doubt to conceal this unpleasant fact from the German people that z the enemy wireless invented the story of a strong British offensive in the desert a few days ago—an offensive which they claimed to have repulsed. In fact the further retreat _of the German forces into Tripolitania seems to have been made under pressure, although without any real fighting. It looks as if the enemy had been manoeuvred out of Mersa Brega, which was both an advanced post and the left flank of what has been generally known as the El Agheila position. It is regarded as significant that the Germans have not risked fighting since their decisive defeat at El Alamein on November 3. No doubt they knew that if they fought, even on this extremely strong position, they would probably be beaten and perhaps cut off round their desert flank. It is now likely .that in addition to covering his retreat as far as possible by laying mines, Rommel has placed all his water supplies out of the immediate use of the Eighth Army. This is a feature of desert warfare which, can never be left out of calculations. No official estimate is available of Rommel’s strength, nor is it known where he may attempt a further stand. One possible place where, as at El Agheila, there is strong protecting marshland, is Misurata, another seaside town about 300 miles to the west. The enemy have abandoned a very favourable position without fighting, and the only advantage they seem to gain by further retreat is the shortening of their lines of communication. DELAYING ACTIONS ROMMEL’S POSSIBLE TACTICS. MAY DEFEND CLIFF-WALLED WADIS. (Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) LONDON, December 14. Reuter's correspondent says Rommel may possibly take his main forces as fast as he can to Misurata and try to hold as long as possible a bridgehead between Tunis and Tripoli. He is likely in that case, to endeavour to delay the victorious Eighth Army by leaving behind- fairly strong rearguards. Battles of the wadis may develop within the next few days. The enemy may utilise cliff-walled, deep wadis between El Agheila and Misurata to check our adavnce. The whole country between the Libyan border and Misurata is unsuited for a rapid armoured advance and is even more inhospitable than the El Agheila terrain. If Rommel decides to try rearguard actions he is likely to have a certain amount of success in nuisance battles.

The Exchange Telegraphs Agency’s correspondent with the Eighth Army says prisoners have already begun to flow in. Rearguard actions are likely to continue for some time, because enemy suicide parties, with some artillery and a few armoured cars, are expected to carry out delaying actions. It seems that the enemy decided to withdraw from El Agheila because he thought our recent large-scale reconnaissance was an all-out offensive, says the British United Press correspondent with General Montgomery’s forces. Rommel’s halt at El Agheila proved, to be only a grandiose delaying action and the retreating army now is not giving battle. The Eighth Army for three or four days before the offensive opened ha'd been moving up continually and encountering only slight opposition. By yesterday the Eighth Armv was thrusting along the coast and also in the centre and from the south. Rommel was then in an excellent position, but undoubtedly feared that he would be outflanked from the south, so promptly gave up the Mersa Brega lines.