ADVANCE INTO CYRENAICA

Waikato Times, Volume 129, Issue 21584, 21 November 1941, Page 5

ADVANCE INTO CYRENAICA

DESTRUCTION OF ARMED MIGHT ENEMY COLUMNS SAID TO BE RETREATING “FIRM'’ OF CUNNINGHAM, CUNNINGHAM, CONYNGHAM LONDON, Nov. 20 Stating that there appeared no doubt that the land operations in the Western Desert had taken the enemy by surprise, so well-concealed and organised were the preliminary movements, Mr Winston Churchill in a short statement today stressed that the policy behind the new great offensive was not the acquisition of territory. “ It is our aim to destroy the armed might of the Axis forces which threaten Egypt,” said Mr Churchill. “This particularly applies to the German tanks and mechanised forces.” A significant point in the Royal Air Force communique released today concerning the operations in the Western Desert is that the British planes bombed and shot-up enemy tanks, armoured vehicles and road convoys, all travelling westwards. This means that the columns were retreating, as the Allied drive is in a westerly direction. The “ old firm ” is in business again—the old firm of Cunningham and Cunningham. Now they have been joined by a new partner, who, by a curious coincidence, has an almost similar name —Conyngham, whose name is pronounced Cunningham. Cunningham of Abyssinia, Sir Alan, commands the desert land forces, and Cunningham of Taranto and Matapan, Y Sir Andrew, the General's Admiral brother, is on the General’s right flank at sea. At the General’s side, close enough for hourly conferences, is Vice-Marshal Conyngham, Air Force Officer Commanding in the Western Desert, so the world watches and awaits the events of which Cunningham, Cunningham and Conyngham are the architects and builders.

ITALIANS RETIRING BRITISH STILL ADVANCING FLEET SUPPORTS ARMY (United Press Asm. —Elec. Tel. Conyrlgnt) LONDON, Nov. 20 Reuter’s correspondent with the Imperial Army says British units predominate, the proportion of Domi- i nion troops being smaller than pre- | viously. The first reports from the Western j Desert state that the offensive sur- j prised the enemy. Two German armoured divisions are spread along the coast between Tobruk and Bardia, and an Italian division is in a position south of Tobruk. The Italians arc already retiring. The enemy were caught in dispersed areas ■with their formations scattered. Pressure is being exerted on the enemy’s defence lines south of the strategic Halfaya (Hellfire) Pass. A violent sandstorm swirled across the desert as the British tanks began to advance, smothering them from sight, and even the gun flashes could not be seen. This was fol- • lowed by cloudbursts, which brought the rain down in sheets and turned the desert into a quagmire. Water was knee-deep in places. A large section of an enemy armoured division was spotted from the air, badly bogged, and Maryland aircraft bombed it and caused widespread damage. Bombardment by Fleet A message trom Cairo early today stated that some Germans have already been taken prisoners, and that the Mediterranean Fleet has bom”1 barded Hellfire Pass and Solium. The communique indicates a wide j encircling movement almost exactly | paralleling General Wavell’s drive of i last year. The advance is con- 1 tinuing, the land forces having strong air and naval support. A powerful British armoured force is seeking battle with a German panzer division in an unrevealed locality. The attacking force is the most formidable Britain has yet thrown against the Axis, says the correspondent of the New York Times, and its officers are confident. The London correspondent of this paper says the main battle is not yet joined, but is expected to begin shortly along the line Sollum-Halfaya-Sidi Omar. It will be the biggest British-Ger-man battle of the war. INTEREST IN SWEDEN COMMENT IN NEWSPAPERS (United Press Assn.—Eler. Tel. Copyright) (Received Nov. 21, 11 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 20 The Stockholm newspapers deal ■with the British offensive in Libya, which is attracting very great interest throughout Sweden. “ SO MUCH TO GAIN ” ISSUES INVOLVED IN BATTLE •‘Fighting in Libya seems inevitable, since both sides have so much to gain,” commented the Sunday Times in September. “Few successes open to the enemy would be so rewarding as the conquest of Egypt, which would practically turn us out of the Mediterranean. On the other hand, if we reconquered Cyrenaica and went on to conquer Tripoli we should greatly improve our Mediterranean position. “Under the present conditions of air war, the fact that the enemy can use all the coastal aerodromes on both sides of the water (including those of Sicily and Crete) for over 12 degrees of latitude prevents us, save in very exceptional circumstances, from sending surface ships of any kind across the Mediterranean. “We are worse off in this respect than last winter when the enemy had not Greece and Crete. Conquest of Cvrenaica and Tripoli would help to balance those losses, and enable Ad-

HUGE SUPPLIES THOROUGH PREPARATIONS TANKS, PETROL, MUNITIONS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Nov. 20 For a week or two before the attack began the coastal road and railway to Mersa Matruh were carrying an immense one-way volume of traffic, including trainloads of tanks and motor convoys 30 miles long, says Reuter’s correspondent. Every-body knew something was going to happen, but few realised the extent and thoroughness of the preparations. Great dumps of petrol, munitions, food and water were formed at various points all over the desert. Nothing has been left to chance, and men know this and are advancing in full confidence.

The British equipment includes American-made tanks, which are being accompanied by American military observers who are noting their performance. Military observers in Cairo say the secrecy of the drive caught the enemy unawares. The depth of the thrust has surprised even the most optimistic, and has raised hopes that the siege of Tobruk will be lifted before the week-end.

The first day’s advance took the British and Imperial troops about half-way to the heroic defenders of Tobruk. After withstanding many enemy attacks in past months, the garrison has gained the initiative. Opportunity for Tobruk

The Daily Mail’s military correspondent says the offensive is a grand opportunity for the heroic Tobruk garrison, which may attempt a move southward to link up with the British forces driving from Sidi Omar. The military correspondent of the Daily Express says General Rommel, fearing a British attack, flew to Italy a few days ago. He was worried concerning the continued non-arrival in* Cyrenaica of vital supplies and reinforcements. He wanted personally to hurry up arrangements. He has probably now returned to Tripoli. Some reports say he has begun a tour of inspection of the desert.

From Solium to Sidi Omar there were recently signs of the hectic building of fortifications, and also evidence that large groups of troops had been posted at points all along

the coast from Solium to Benghazi, with the object of guarding against raids like that on Bardia by British commandos. The correspondent adds that the garrison of Spanish Morroco recently was considerably reinforced with * men, tanks and artillery. CLAIMS BY ENEMY BRITISH THROWN BACK APPROACH TO AXIS LINES (United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Nov. 21, 11.20 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 20 It is officially announced in Rome that the Italians in Libya are determinedly counter-manoeuvring against the British, whose advance is only across the desert of the frontier area, which is not garrisoned by the Italians, therefore the advance is merely an approach to the Axis lines, which have not been penetrated. The battle continues on a 150-kilo-metre front. A German communique claims that the British forces were known to be stationed in prepared positions south and south-west of Sidi Omar for some days before the attack began. As a result there were immediate counter attacks by German and Italian units, and strong British forces west of Sidi Omar were thrown back with heavy losses. AUSTRALIAN TROOPS UNPRECEDENTED ENTHUSIASM i » United rrpss Assn. Elec. Tel. Copyrignt) ! (Received Nov. 21, 11 a.m.) SINGAPORE, Nov. 20 I Further Australian reinforcements, officially described as substantial, have arrived at Singapore. They received the news of the ' Middle East offensive with unprecedented enthusiasm.

miral Cunningham's fleet to be more ♦ active again. It might raise the issue * of North Africa. But the more definite our success in Libya, the more difficult it would be for Admiral Parian to carry the French against us.”