ARTILLERY DUELS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 174, 25 July 1942, Page 5

ARTILLERY DUELS

DESERT CAMPAIGN Allied Bombers Start Many Fires U.P.A. and British Wireless. (Rec. 2 p.m.) LONDON, July 24. The El Alamein battles have momentarily died down, and the Eighth Army is consolidating its newly-won positions and re-grouping for the next move, to the accompaniment of intermittent shelling from both sides. The Brit Un Press Cairo correspondent says the Imperial forces hold most of the Tel El Isa and Makhkhad ridges, but have given up the Metiriya and Deir El Shein ridges. It is now apparent the artillery dominated this week's battles.. Both sides are husbanding their armoured forces in battlefields which are too restricted to allow free manoeuvring. Rommel has relied on massed artillery to beat off the Eighth Army attacks in the central sector. Enemy supply dumps and motor transport vehicles in the battle area in the Egyptian desert were subjected to heavy raids by medium bombers of the RA.F. and naval aircraft on Wednesday night, states the Air Ministry news service. Fires and explosions followed the bombing. In one instance three petrol bowsers were seen to go up in flames. Four other large petrol fires were also started. Our bombers attacked enemy aircraft on the landing ground in the El Daba area. Further west targets at Mersa Matruh and Tobruk were raided. Fires were seen to break out in the jetty area, while at Tobruk medium and heavy bombers raided shipping, harbour installations and store dumps. Direct hits were obtained on two ships, one being set on fire. Large fires broke out to the north of the harbour.

Throughout yesterday light bombers and fighter-bpmbers were active over the forward area. In the central sector several hundred motor transport vehicles, including some tank carriers, were successfully attacked, while in the southern sector raids on vehicles and gun positions were equally effective. Further enemy gun positions were attacked in the evening. Enemy air activity was not extensive.