ROMMEL’S ORDERLY WITHDRAWAL

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 292, 8 September 1942, Page 5

ROMMEL’S ORDERLY WITHDRAWAL

Maoris’ Recent Feat (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.! (Received September 7, 9.15 p.m.) LONDON, September 6. The withdrawal of the Afrika Korps is essentially a controlled withdrawal, says the correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” in the Western Desert. Though the Axis forces were constantly harassed, they retired more or less at their own speed. The Afrika Korps’ screen of anti-tank guns which was'deft behind prevented rapid pursuit which would have played into the enemy’s hands. The British United Press correspondent with the Eighth Army says that Rommel’s infantry as well as armour recently suffered heavily. One Maori-battalion, in furious hand-to-hand fighting, killed at least 500, including between 150 and 200 Germans, with- probably as many wounded as killed.

Continuation of the enemy retreat, under strong pressure, is announced by general headquarters in Cairo in the following statement "During Friday night our patrols in the northern sector continued. Yesterday, in the southern sector, the enemy continued his withdrawal to the west, under strong pressure from our mobile columns aud artillery. “His main concentrations are now again west of our minefields, through which they first advanced on the night of August 30. Since then the enemy forces in the area, consisting of the German Afrika Korps, including the 15th and 21st Panzer Divisions aud the OOth Light Division, with Italian armoured aud mobile elements, suffered severe losses In tanks, vehicles, aud personnel as a result of constant pressure on our land and air forces. In spite of every effort, the enemy failed to penetrate our main defensive system at any point. "Regardless of the unfavourable weather, our bombers and fichtc-r--bombers yesterday continued to harass the withdrawing enemy in the southern sector. Last night our heavy bombers attacked Tobruk, and a combined Anglo-American force attacked Crete. Earlier Phase Reviewed.

A Cairo message detailing' the past week’s battle says that after going into attack early in the morning of Monday, August 31, with the whole striking force available in Africa and after driving eastward through our advance minefields, Rommel turned north and northeast and spent Tuesday iu a vain attempt to probe and penetrate our main defences. On Wednesday,, the. Eighth Army began to take the initiative, particularly in the south, where our armoured car patrols started to come round bis right flunk. On the third day, two German officers presented themselves at our lines with a white flag and a message to the effect -that enemy armour had established itself in the rear of the British position and the British armour had been defeated.' They invited the Eighth Army to surrender. The reply of the Eighth Army has been described as "some laughter"—a characteristic Eighth Army under-statement, Ou Thursday it became clear tliat so far from the enemy making any further advance, he wins in fact being' slowly but steadily cleared out by the combined efforts of the army and air force, mid was suffering very heavy losses, particularly in vehicles. There is no doubt that Rommel, last week intended to smash the', Eighth Army and sweep through. Egypt, says the Cairo correspondent of the British United Press. German prisoners captured in the central sector stated that jiist before the offensive Rommel visited the front line and told the officers and men, “Now, boys, we are. off to Cairo.” . “Rommel was given a bloody nose, but it is presumed in Cairo,” says the correspondent, "that he will try again as soon as he has had a breather and' regrouped. The first phase of the battle is a complete endorsement of the wisdom of Mr. Churchill's purge of the desert command by giving it new leaders. The Eighth Army is reinvigorated in spirit. General Montgomery wisely decided against over-optimism. We have reason today, however, to congratulate ourselves and give praise to all arms and all ranks. Instead of being in Cairo, Rommel has been pushed back to where he started from.” One fighter squadron In Egypt has now scored its 200th confirmed victory. All were gained in the Middle East — some in Greece and Crete, but mainly over the desert. The squadron has been fighting in the Middle . East since the first campaign against the Italians. ■ Mr. Wendell Willkie, after a tour of the battle-front, said: “The happenings here in the past tjvo or three days are significant and are perhaps the turning-point-of the war. I think the Boche has been stopped. The battlefield i s an object-lesson in the necessity for more material. Not enough material has been sent to Egypt, which is one of the most vifal battle zones.” *

THROUGH HEAVY FIRE South Island Party Cut Off But Escapes

(Official War Correspondent, N.Z.E.F.) WESTERN DESERT, September 5.

A party of South Islanders of about platoon strength was ent off from its battalion during Thursday night’s attack, and returned to our lines through heavy fire this morning. They had advanced well forward during the attack and throughout yesterday all the enemy's efforts to dislodge them failed. They shot at an enemy staff car, killed two German officers aud two Italians and captured the driver. Then from a distance they watched while Italians buried the dead. The party was subjected to harassing fire and suffered some casualties. CAIRO COMMUNIQUE LONDON, September 7. Today’s Cairo communique reports that during Saturday night our patrols were active in tlie northern sector. Yesterday, in the southern sector, our mobile columns and artillery continued to harass the enemy moving westward and to attack his rearguard detachments. AXIS AIR LOSSES IN DESERT ! Received September 7, 11.55 p.m.) LONDON, September 7. The Air Ministry says that R.A.F. fighters have shot down 55 enemy aircraft in the Western Desert in the last six days. Our' losses have been much smaller.