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Taflk 1L1113 3N/A
EPro~gsress
Australian Associated Press
LONDON, May 27.-Both sides are throwing
mrany air squadrons into the fighting which has
again flared up in Libya, buht the main land forces
have not yet joined action. The tank battle south
of Tobruk was probably still in progress late last
night.
"The Times" correspondent in Cairo said
today that it was clear that Field-Marshal
Rommel's move was the opening of a new
offensive.
He is thought to be striking at Tobruk, which he
knows must be taken at all costs if his drive against Egypt
is not to be held up by a threat to his seaward flank.
A N R.A.F. communique said that
both day and night air activity
over Cyrenaica was increasing in
scale.
In daylight yesterday British
planes attacked the landing
ground at El Tmlmi, and effec
tively shot up transports in the
Maraua region. A Junkers 88
was shot down in the El Adem
area.
The landing ground at Martuba
was bombed the night before, and
direct hits were scored on three
grounded planes. Transports on
the road between Derna and
Bomba, west of Tobruk, were also
attacked.
Anti-aircraft gunners in the for
Sward areas shot down two Junkers
I 88's.
The landing ground at Martuba
was raided again last night, and
other bombers operated over
Benghazi.
Four British planes are missing,
but two fighter pilots are safe.
A Rome communique said that
intense air activity marked opera
tions in Cyrenaica, and the British
rear was violently attacked. Stukas
bombed defence installations at
Tobruk, and strong formations of
Italian fighters carried out a suc
cessful surprise attack on Gambut
Aerodrome, east of Tobruk.
The bulletin claimed that 26
Curtiss planes were ready to take
off. Several were set on fire and
the remainder were badly dam
aged.
B~~~~EsILn ~~~IP~~~~,
, DESPATCH from an observer
- of the British BroadcastingI
Corporation said that the Ger
mans began their attack in their
usual fashion by bombing the
British rear areas on Monday
night.
As their ground troops were
moving into action, their dive
bombers attacked British for
ward positions. It was still dark
when the ground forces at
tacked, but British tanks were
ready and waiting, as they were
well aware that the Germans
might launch an attack.
An authority in London said to
iight that Rommel's attack on the
iouthern flank of the 8th Army's
Gazala line indicated that he knew
•:"obruk- hhd:t~~o be t?a;en at' all
costs.
His choice of battlefield sug
gested that he hoped to reach Tob
ruk on the south of its 25-mile
perimeter by driving over the El
Akaba ridge between Bir Hak
heim and the sea.
He recalled that this rough
country was the scene of fierce
fighting when General Sir Claude
Auchinleck drove Rommel 300
miles across the desert last win
ter.
The Cairo correspondent of "The
Times" says that the strongest of
Rommel's columns appeared to
have moved from the vicinity of
Tengeder, soutlh of Mekilli. and
struck north-east. It wva.s last re
ported near El Tcilem. The other
columns moved due east.
While it was inaccurate to de
scribe the British positions as a
line, the forward posts stretched
roughly from Gazala to Bir
Hakheim, with defences in con
siderable depth behind.
Any major engagement, said the
correspondent, would take place
on a far more restricted front than
in the last two Libyan campaigns,
[THE correspondent of the Esx
change Telegraph Agency with
the 8th Army says that recent re
ports indicated that the Axis could
field as many troops and tanks as
in the last offensive, but with the
disadvantage that the British forces
have been considerably reinforced.
If the British were not supe
rior in tanks, they had enough
guns of all calibres with which
to meet the enemy.
The present operation was being
carried out in good weather, the
correspondent added.
According to another source,
military quarters in Cairo cde
scribed the present terrain as not
bad for tanks, although it was not
completely flat.
It was believed that Axis troops
comprised 45 per cent. Germans
and 55 per cent. Italians.
The British forces were com
posed of British, South African,
Indian, and Free French troops,
who were fighting fit and in the
highest spirits.
The Cairo correspondent of the
Associated Press of America says
that Axis air power did not ap
pear to have been greatly
strengthened, while the aero
nautical correspondent of the
"Daily Mail" states that several
important new types of British
planes awaited the Germans.
These included a Spitfire adapted
for the first time for service over
seas. Other types were still on
the secret list.
$