A BACKGROUND OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 27, 27 October 1942, Page 4

A BACKGROUND OF THE WAR

Attack In Egypt LAND, SEA, AND AIK CO-ORDINATION While it is too early yet to estimate the objectives and significance of the attack opened by the Eighth Army in the Western Desert on Friday night, it is not too early to suggest that here is something more extensive and more generally a move to solve the whole Mediterranean situation than anything attempted toy either side before. Combined with the land attack on the El Alamein front is a virulent air attack which strikes deep into the heart of the whole Axis Mediterranean strategy, an attack which is directed at its main transport and supply sources for the North African battlefront. In their wisdom, and probably with sound strategy, the Axis High Commands selected Genoa to be the sally port for their main forces and supplies crossing the Mediterranean. Apart from toeing Italy’s largest port and affording the best loading facilities, it is 500 miles further from Malta’s bombers than the next-best alternative, Naples. Probably with foresight .born of news obtained by their reconnaissance aircraft over the Western Desert, the Avis a couple of weeks ago decided that reinforcement of their North African forces was imperative. So — a sure sign that such was in progress —the blitz on Malta • was resumed, albeit without the full stingof that of last December. No doubt they found comfort in the thought that while this blitz was in progress they could slip the ships across to Tripoli .without serious interference from Malta’s aircraft. They reckoned without two factors. The Royal Navy knew that the Axis was likely to be forewarned of the ■Eighth Army’s attack, and guessed the stepping up of supply and reinforcement which would be the reply. Submarines moved into position and were rewarded with a satisfactory toll. A lot of the supplies the Axis forces in Egypt may badly need in the next few weeks rest on the bottom of “Mussolini’s lake.” Aerial Co-ordinlation The second factor, which must have come as a terrific shock both to the Axis High Command and the Italian people, was the appearance in the Mediterranean zone in daylight of R.A.F. bombers based in Britain. Four effective raids in 48 hours, including one in daytime, equalling anything experienced toy any’part of Germany and Northern Europe, blasted Axis supply factories, supply dumps, and supply facilities which were probably only just getting into real action. The value of these raids and their influence on the course of events in North Africa is not likely to be assessable.for some weeks, for the Axis wilt have ample supply available for that period on the spot, but if the United Nations’ attack progresses favourably and the scene of action moves westward from El Alamein toward the Egyptian border and Libya, the deprivation of supply caused by the raids on Milan, Turin, Genoa, Savona and other centres in North Italy is likely to hamper seriously the renewal of the expended and lost munitions. The entry of Britain-based aircraft into the Mediterranean, therefore, clothes the new offensive with a significance difficult to assess. Reading with it Mr. Churchill’s remark to troops when he was in Egypt: “Big things are afoot,” and Field-Marshal Smuts’s recent suggestion that North Africa and the Mediterranean were the decisive area of the war, it is possible that Friday night saw the opening of the long-awaited “second front.” Progress On Land Little has been revealed at the time of writing regarding the result of- the initial attack of the Eighth Army beyond the statement that the enemy forward; lines were penetrated and all gains held against heavy counter-at-tacks. The enemy have had four months in which to consolidate their positions on the 40-mile EL Alamein front, and are said to have organized defence in depth of at least four miles. The fighting differs from that. in earlier North African campaigns in that there is little possibility of outflanking moves such as those used by both sides previously. The Quattara Depression on one flank and the Mediterranean iSea on the other are effective bars to such an attempt, specially just now, when the Depression for a period has an uprising of water level very close to its surface. Thus, for the first time in this war, the conditions of those of the Western European front in IDI4-191S are nearly attained, and frontal attack on wellorganized land fortification has to be made.

Progress will of necessity' be slow till the Eighth Army succeeds in breaking through the four-mile belt, and the task facing the troops will be exacting. It is welcome news that the co-operation of air units is 20 per cent, above anything yet received by our forces in the desert, and it is good to hear of the excellent equipment with which they have .been supplied. Three British Army divisions are engaged, with Australian, New Zealand, South African, Fighting French, Indian and Greek elements co-operating. The story of the New Zealanders’ part in the early phases makes good hearing. It was told yesterday from the 8.8. C. by-A. L. Currie, who was with them in the fighting on Friday night and Saturday morning. < New Zealanders’ Attack It was a clear moonlight night, said Mr. Currie, and the assault troops massed in No Man’s land. They were divided iuto two bodies, the attack being made by these bodies in leapfrog fashion. Punctually at 10 o’clock the barrage began, and it is interesting to note that the German counterbarrage was slow to begin and rather ineffectual when it did eome into action. Opposing the first New Zealand attack was the 164t1i German infantry regiment, and prisoners from this began to filter back through the second section of the troops as they moved up for the second phase. Behind the 164th infantrymen there were panzer troops, but they were no better able to resist the cheering Kiwis, and the objectives were reached ahead of schedule. . ■ It is also interesting to note that the British tanks followed the infantry, a reversal of the original blitz tactics. Having cleared a track through the minefields in the dark, the sappers picked it out with lights—-a sort of landship flarepath—so that the tanks could follow through in safety.