ADVANCE BELIEVED ON SCHEDULE

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 32, 2 November 1942, Page 5

ADVANCE BELIEVED ON SCHEDULE

Unremitting Struggle In Desert MANY ENEMY DESERTERS ‘ (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received November I, 8.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 31. "During Thursday night and yesterday, a number of enemy counter-attacks against our positions were beaten off with losses to the enemy," states today's Cairo headquarters communique. The El Alamein correspondent of the Daily Mail says the Eighth Army has been maintaining tremendous pressure on the whole of Rommel's front since it attained all the objectives which were set for the first week. The "Daily Telegraph's” El Alamein correspondent, summing up, says, "We have clone well, but we have not yet reached the end of the enemy’s minefields. We have taken many prisoners, but not enough to affect seriously an army as big as Rommel s.'

The desert correspondent of “The Tinies” says that prisoners confirm that the ceaseless air and naval attacks are seriously interfering with Rommel’s supply arrangements, some declaring that they have been without food for two days. The correspondent adds that numerous deserters are coming over to the Allied lines, including many Poles and Slovenes and other conscripted troops, who desert at tlie first opportunity. The Eighth Army’s shelling and bombing of the Axis forward positions and tank and transport concentrations have been with good effect. The accuracy of our 25-pounders and medium artillery is inflicting considerable casualties. The British United Press says, “We are giving the enemy extremely hard knocks. The Italians and the Germans are losing heavily in casualties and prisoners.” Enemy Reinforced. The British United Press says that Field Marshal Rommel has massed further forces of tanks, guns, and antitank guns, as well as troops. Reuter’s Istanbul correspondent reports that the Germans are transferring many planes from the Russian front to Egypt. There are also reports from Egypt that many of the Germans who were taken prisoner at El Alamein had fought in Russia. They state , that our artillery lire in this battle was worse than the barrage experienced before Leningrad, Smolensk and Moscow. It was disclosed that British forces in one sector on Wednesday sighted a German panzer force of more than 200 tanks. They were drawn up in formation, facing the advancing British troops, but they made no effort to put in a combined effort. Small battle groups of German tanks are “tapping” various points on the British front, sometimes pausing for a trial shoot at 2000 yards range. British tankmen have been successful in picking them off, and on Wednesday tliey knocked out 10. UNABLE TO DIVE Stukas Find Ground Fire Too Severe (British Official Wireless.) (Received November 1, 7 p.m.) RUGBY, October 31. Describing two Stuka raids on Empire infantry units in their new positions, Reuter’s i correspondent says that our anti-aircraft fire was so severe that the Stukas released their bombs from an altitude of several thousand feet. Both attacks were against troops add supporting gun positions. The first attack failed to inflict casualties or damage. Nineteen Stukas participated in the second attack. Referring to the air operations, today's Cairo communique states: “The Aliied air superiority in the desert was maintained, and during Thursday night and yesterday our attacks continued on forward landing-grounds and other targets. Our heavy bombers attacked Crete. Long-range fighters operating against enemy transport in the coastal area shot down a Junkers *52 and attacked a landing-ground. \ “There was some enemy dive-bomb-ifig activity yesterday, during which our lighters shot down a Junkers 87 and at least three fighters, and also damaged many others. Our twinengined fighters attacked the aerodrome at El Adem and destroyed a' least four large enemy aircraft. Only Three Missing. “Again no enemy aircraft succeeded in crossing the coast of Malta yesterday. From these operations three of our aircraft are missing.” The air officer commanding in the Western Desert yesterday sent the following message' to'the light bombers: “Please. congratulate our squadrons. They are hitting the enemy hard. The army is appreciative.” A correspondent of the British. United Press, cabling from Allied air headquarters in life Western Desert, said that tlie Germans brought up air reserves on Thursday in an attempt to stem the Allied offensive, the intensity of which was still increasing. The correspondent of “The Times” on the El Alainein front says there is no disguising the superb part the Allied air forces are playing. CRASHING AHEAD New Zealanders Take Staff Officers Prisoner (Official War Correspondent, N.Z.E.F.) EL ALAMEIN FRONT, Oct. 29. In the face of strong resistance, elements of our troops on part of their sector in the El Alainein front last night improved their positions by an advance in placet? of nearly half a mile. Tliey captured many prisoners and bad a good haul of mortars and guns, including two of the SS-milli-metre type. A section of the advance was covered by heavy artillery tire, despite which the enemy retaliated, using artillery as well as mortars and machineguns. Our men fought their way through Io strongly defended positions in which they quickly established themselver*. An Italian headquarters was taken, together with its officers. As they emerged from the weapon pits, many of those Italians who had survived the artillery barrage fell to machinegun fire. This morning our forward positions were being shelled and there was considerable mortar fire, but the troops are well dug in. There have been several divebombing attacks, hut the casualties from these are light.