The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, FRIDAY, JULY 24, 1942 ROMMEL GIVES GROUND

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 82, 24 July 1942, Page 4

The Bay of Plenty Beacon Published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, FRIDAY, JULY 24, 1942 ROMMEL GIVES GROUND

THE crucial battle for Egypt is now about to enter its third week. Taking stock of the situation, it is safe to say that it has not deteriorated, which brings a certain degree of satisfaction to the nerve-taught expectancy with which the Empire has watched the rise and fall of the fortunes of this most unreal and unbelievable of campaigns. Actually the initiative has been wrenched from the indomitable Rommel. and his lightning thrust into Egypt and towards the Alexandria road, was halted, dead, at the bright and sinister point of lhe bayonet. Consolidation and hasty defence works, characterised the enemy's second phase of the battle with the British Command frantically collecting reinforcements by denuding Syria and other defence points in order to build up the weakened Eighth Army. How well these tremendous efforts succeeded is shown by the determined nature of the counter-offensive and the striking success of the infantry incursions against the enemy s positions. Six thousand) prisoners have trekked sadly back to the cages behind the British lines —mostly Italians, but,, according to broadcast, a fair sprinkling of Germans also. On Wednesday Rommel voluntarily withdrew to a new position. Yesterday the weight of new Colonial attacks thrust hjis men even from these new positions and included them in the new Britisli front. From dazzling and spectacular offensive, the German Commander has been reduced to the inferior position of stern and bitter defence. Hampered from the air by the superior R.A.F., handicapped by the vast distances separating his army from his supply bases, ceaselessly threatened day and night by the awe-inspiring bayonets of the British Colonial troops, the German commander's position is far from a happy one. The terrific force of his drive into Egypt, has died. The impetus which carried all before him to Merse Matruh is no more, and between him and the coveted prize of Alexandria with the French fleet thrown in,, lies an army of hard bitten deserttrained men who ha,ve already robbed him of the initiative snd by their bayonets put the very fear of the devil into his Italian legionaries. Auchinlech has risen to the occasion in a manner which few would have believed possible three weeks ago, and to-day with his army straddling the road to Alexandria and Cairo, he represents perhaps the pulse ot British war policy more than any other one man m t c Empire, for upon the outcome of this battle must be basec the future actions of England's conduct of the wax. Komm»l and Auchinlech. grimly facing each other across the thin stretch of Egyptian sands; with the whole chequered Libyan story behind: them-could there ever have been create two men so infernally suited to plague each other m deadly game of war.

COMPULSORY HOME GUARD PARADES

TWENTY-FOUR hours per month has been set down by the newly gazetted regulations, as the minimum hours of training which will be required of all Home Guardsmen. The regulations also provide severe penalties for absentees without authority and stipulate further that periodic check-ups will be. made at battalion headquarters to ascertain that the training hours are fully complied with and that all delinquents are dealt with firmly. As far as the Whakatane and Rangitaiki districts. are concerned we feel that there need be little fear of any prosecutions being necessary. We have been informed on good authority that the enthusiasm of Home Guardsmen in this area is second to none and that it was due to this fact alone that the units have held together so well during difficult periods in the past. To day however, with the movement now fuily recognised by the military and government alike, and with equipment and uniforms now to hand,, it is only to be expected, that the organisation should be placed upon a full military and disciplinary footing. The results will be seen in the growing efficiency of the guard and renewed esprit-de-corps which must spring from regular training and uniform appearance.

MARKING OF HOSPITALS

THE question as to whether hospitals in areas which may be subjected to air attack should be identified by special markings is not properly one for lay discussion. It should be decided on the advice of overseas authorities who. know —from experience—how the enemy looks upon such sonventions. The Ministry of Health lias stated that no. good purpose can be achieved" by marking* hospitals, but he did not make it clear that this dictum was based on the best possible advice ; therefore, the request by a correspondent in the Dominion and reprinted in the Beacon for further enlightenment is a reasonable one. Hospital patients, their attendants and the public generally should be told clearly and; logically why it is thought more prudent that the Article of The Hague Convention concerning the protection of civilian hospitals should be varied or ignored in this country.