FURTHER ADVANCE

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 31, 31 October 1942, Page 7

FURTHER ADVANCE

Eighth Army Takes More Prisoners LONDON, October 30. The British Eighth Army has gained more ground on the El Alamein front and smashed up further Axis tanks. Today’s Cairo communique says that during Wednesday night our infantry further extended their gains in ground formerly held by the enemy. A further number of German prisoners has been taken. Minor engagements with enemy armoured forces resulted in a number of casualties being inflicted on the enemy. Fighting continues. DESERT TASK FORCE American Planes Harass Enemy (Received October 30, 11 p.m.) LONDON, October 30. A desert task force of the United States Army Middle East Air Force continued large-scale operations over the battle area yesterday, states a communique. The force attacked enemy positions, tanks and motor-vehicles, scoring direct hits and starting many tires. Our fighters were with the enemy all day. The enemy sought to avoid combat We shot shot down four Messerschmitt 109’s. AIR RAID BY GREEKS Italian Headquarters Chief Target (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 29. The second anniversary of the Italian invasion of Greece was celebrated by a squadron of the Royal Hellenic Air Force fighting with the British forces in the Western Desert with heavy ground-strafing attacks on enemy positions in the battle area. Their target was the Italian headquarters in the southern sector of the El Alamein front. Led by their wing commander, the Greeks swept down in force in the face of light .and heavy anti-aircraft fire. Lorries were seen to go up in flames, and the aircraft poured hundreds of rounds of machinegun bullets into tents and gun nests. Only one aircraft failed to return, though the pilots pressed home their attacks with such determination that several planes were holed. VIOLENT BATTLES Axis Communiques LONDON, October 29. Today’s Italian communique says: “Violent battles which have been going on for several days on the El Alamein front continued yesterday, with powerful British attacks against Axis forces, which offered bitter resistance. We destroyed several dozen tanks. Formations of Liberator bombers raided the port of Navarino.” A German communique states: “The fighting in Egypt increased in bitterness on the fifth day of the defensive battle. In spite of very heavy attacks and the use of an unusually great amount of ammunition, the British were unable to gain successes. We captured several hundred prisoners.” The German news agency reports that British forces succeeded in making slight penetrations along the railway line between Alexandria and Mersa Matruh, but that the wedge has been sealed off and is now under murderous artillery fire from German batteries pounding in from the flank.