N.Z.E.F. In Heavy Action In Egypt

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 169, 20 July 1942, Page 3

N.Z.E.F. In Heavy Action In Egypt

ADVANCE TOO RAPID

Forced To Reorganise After Brilliant Night Operation

(Official War Correspondent, N.Z.E.F.)

»(, i ALAMEIN, July 16 After a bri liant night advance, covering six milcourse of which thev forr*A =» l miles, in the 2 ..,.. 4 asssassss wsy-tas

Pockets of heavily-armed Italian infantry left in A defences through which th#» NUw J a , he dee P thrust into the Ruweisat tx °°^ in their advantage gained by the attack SenpTr y e * terda y in the Subjected to Continuous Gunfire ♦h. JS! 1 thc l c . loße » u PP°rt of guns, the New Zealanders on A 9ub J ectedto continuous machine-gun and artillery S,> h P e^r„i lly en " b,ed ,I,e G - ma " — K , Eve 7 in . ,h j face of tremendou. odds of fighting heavy tanks .1.. New Zealand.,-, reyt.d .tubbornly u l t i| , h . ,i.ua,,on Lcam. of the '" 8 "" d * y * dded <° ,h « One Sv.nr.i 0 ? 1111 ' 0 " ther * Were lhr T e raids Within half an ho «r. One advanced dressing station, some hundreds of yards from the Alth^u ff K 8 I 1 K ,ng ET Wa * thC for , one of the severest raids. Although the whole area was obscured by smoke and dust and scattered with bomb craters, there were few victims.

t Artillery Gave All Possible Support From disadvantageous positions our artillery gave all the support possible against the heavy opposition. At least three quads (four-wheel drive vehicles carrying guns and some ammunition) set afire in the battle were driven into the wind by the gunners and the ammunition thrown cleat before the Eames were extinguished with sand.

Immediately after the withdrawal the New Zealand formations were reorganised, and early this morning battle groups were in position.