The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Sun. MONDAY, JULY 20, 1942 N.Z.E.F. IN THE VANGUARD

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 169, 20 July 1942, Page 2

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Sun. MONDAY, JULY 20, 1942 N.Z.E.F. IN THE VANGUARD

gINCE their first encounter with the Germans in Greece 15 months <')£<>, followed by the struggle in Crete a month later, the New calanders have been in the vanguard against the enemy in two of the tnost critical battles fought in North Africa. At Sidi Rezegh last ovemlKT, and in the present El Alamein struggle, the men of the second N.Z.E.F. have won the highest praise for gallantry, determination and steadiness under fire. In all dispatches from Egypt in which mention is made of th-m flowing tribute is paid to their fighting qualities, swiftness, skill and vigour in attack and ability to hang on when, as may happen suddenly in desert warfare, the fortune of battle turns in favour o the enemy. When the full story of the campaign in Egypt is told, fT"a Hn? n - irS i' t r. , ; rinc , cla ' sh near Mcrsa Matruh to the Allied stand in the to ? bottleneck on July 1 and the subsequent Homeric struggle , V, ck ll , ie P anzer divisions, New Zealand should learn with pride '7 K)" r \ous record of her sons. Meanwhile the day to day 1. t 'h :m I ,artl J"" ,ar 'y 'hose of the latest feats of arms, bear testimony T?r f' l !"' Sl u, pa rf C( br , aver - v of tho tr °ops of the New Zealand Division. Dean, Australian historian of the last war, who saw a * Keneratinn of New Zealanders in action, is among those whose men ft d ° aSam dt - >cr>ly stirred by the battle exploits of these

The Now Zcalanders fight with the offensive spirit. In the anxious bo « in t ninc of thi * month, when the saving of Egypt meant r °f Kommel, the N.Z.E.F. had a vital part in helping to tho Kk-hih outlook. The danger is still great, but the achievements of Jhnr, I IV Army, of which the New Zealanders are a part, have more • • »u equality in the field. No less encouraging than the land whi i"? ' S wide-ranging and aggressive action of the Allied air forces itir -r,'/i V °» C ° ni !V n . C lessens of the past two years with their greatly At i! cn i l . establish and maintain an unchallenged superiority. Tiffht v fwj .f S IJci ?Sasi, enemy bases and communications daily and ,bo we| K ht of this air offensive, and it cannot be doubted hi i ™:r P ably a decisive, part in halting the Axis advance has with if Thi°r mance 0 R-A.R and the other squadrons operating T ? Germans now know, and complain bitterly, of the conserve tk r air '"fcrtority. Rommel's demands must compete with those frp a <niies in Russia, and where the aircraft in his squadrons 5 numbered in hundreds those on the Don and in the Ukraine run into thousands The Egyptian and Russian operations, though separate ihn A ar t a huge German plan, and from the Allied side a blow at the Axis on either front is a blow struck at the heart. While Nazi resources in men, materials and weapons are now being thrown into the bottle regardless of cost, there are limits to the strength that can be Sne front'in LnT f l ant Jl the spepd with which jt ca n be transferred from one front to another. Communications are a big factor, and in this the Allies have now a certain advantage Although the sea route is Ions? Sai!fJt' thi U ' t ? ) ! he Nlle t0 the desert is only a matter of hours, but tKJv n . C °f ° ls 3 great length of the African coastline, with many ports for landing supplies, and the threat to Alexandria has given him a measure of freedom irom attacks by the navy on his short sea lanes. The issue continues to be bound up largely with the problem of reinforcements, above all in heavy armour, prouiem