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Further south the force from Jarabub had captured Aujila, 8 miles north- west of Jalo on the 23rd November.
Operations subsequent to the 23rd November.
38. Since the evening of the 23rd November few details of the operations have been received. From the confused accounts available, the burden of the fighting south-east of Tobruk appears to have passed temporarily to the unarmoured troops, the armoured formations having been withdrawn for reorganisation. The forces advancing westward from the frontier area after capturing Gambut had, by the morning of the 25th November, effected a junction with the troops operating east of Sidi Rezegh.
39. On the 25th November an enemy force of some 30 tanks and 500 infantry was located moving eastward across the frontier south of Sidi Omar, evidently with the intention of creating a diversion.
Conclusion.
40. It is too early to foretell the result of the engagements now in progress south-east of Tobruk. Casualties on both sides have undoubtedly been heavy. General Auchinleck has, however, succeeded in bringing the enemy's armoured forces to battle and has already destroyed a large number of his tanks. He has gone a long way towards rolling up the enemy's frontier defences, and it is to be hoped that the next few days will see the junction of the forces about Sidi Rezegh with the Tobruk Garrison.
Comparison with 1940 Campaign.
41. Little detailed information is as yet available as to the part played by Italian forces. It is, however, clear that with German stiffening and under German directions they have fought much better than they did in 1940, when they had to meet a British offensive alone.
This improvement is probably partly due to the fact that in 1940 Italian forces in Cyrenaica consisted of a motley collection of recently raised Metropolitan Divisions, and Blackshirt and Libyan formations, with a high command that was more intent on blaming the deficiencies of their equipment on each other than on preparing to meet a British attack. It is also no doubt to some extent to be attributed to the replacement of the "toy" 3-ton and unwieldy 11-ton tanks by the more serviceable 13-ton tank, with which 132 (Ariete) Armoured Division is now equipped. Reports agree that this division, which is operating in the Bir el Gobi area, has put up a tenacious resistance. 55 (Savona) Division, which is operating in the Sollum sector, also appears to have fought well.
East Africa.
42. Five separate columns are advancing on the Italians in the Gondar area. In the north, Lamant Hill (11 miles north-east of Gondar) and Venticinque Hill (3 miles further south) were captured on the 12th and 17th November respectively. Our forces are now facing the enemy's main position some 15 miles north of Gondar.
On the 21st November a force which had been side-stepped eastwards from the main Debarech-Gondar road captured Zagadi (17 miles south-east of Gondar). In this engagement the enemy sustained 2,000 casualties while his force holding the Feroaber position (12 miles further south) was cut off from communication with Gondar.
The column advancing north-westward along the Debra Tabor-Gondar road captured Kulkaber, to the north of the Feroaber position, on the 21st November, and took 1,800 prisoners.
An Ethiopian force which has advanced up the western shore of Lake Tana is investing Gorgora, which has also been heavily bombed from the air.
The Sudanese column advancing along the Gallabat-Chelga road is now in front of the Chelga position. A raid by this column on an enemy post north-west of Chelga on the 20th November inflicted heavy casualties and is believed to have drawn strong reinforcements from the Gondar area.
Patriot forces are co-operating in all sectors.
It is estimated that the garrison of Gondar still remaining consists of some 12,000 Italian and native troops.
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