LIGHTNING STROKE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 December 1942, Page 3

LIGHTNING STROKE

HALF AXIS FORCES CUT OFF according to correspondent. WEDGE DRIVEN TO COAST. (By Telegraph—(Press Association— Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.15 a.m.) LONDON, December 17. The Eighth Army has outflanked , and trapped half the retreating Axis forces in Libya, says the Associated Press of Great Britain Cairo correspondent Advanced British forces, including tanks, artillery and infantry, veered deeply to the south with lightning speed, and then struck towards the coast from Wadi Matratin, 60 miles west,of El Agheila A wedge was then driven into the withdrawing German forces, a sizeable portion of which was cut off, including panzers, infantry and artillery German units, desperately attempting to break out, suffered losses at the hands of their pursuers, and were also harassed by another British column in the vicinity The British, in their wide sweep to get round the retreating Germans, encountered little opposition. The Germans were so busy withdrawing that they apparently neglected to cover their flanks adequately. When the British reached Wadi Matratin, fighting spread out from that point.' The artillery secured vantage points and continually shelled the Sirte Road (the main coastal road) While tanks made sorties into the hard-pressed Germans, the Allied infantry cleaned up German groups with rifles and bayqnets

AXIS TROOPS

BEING RUSHED TO TUNISIA. PORT OF MARSEILLES CLEARED. MADRID, December 16. , It is reported from the French frontier that the Germans are clearing Marseilles and a 30-mile strip of the coast round the port in order to rush men and materials to Tunisia. They have forbidden sea traffic in the Toulon area. Reports from Algiers say that a large numbei' of small boats with Axis reinforcements are already arriving at Souse, Sfax and Gabes.