CAN WE BRITISH FIGHT ON LAND?

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 37, 7 November 1942, Page 8

CAN WE BRITISH FIGHT ON LAND?

For Answer, Ask Rommel AN ORDINARY MAN’S VIEW OF THE WAR

(By

Obsebver.)

Aside from the glowing news of an Allied victory in the making, one fact of immense importance in the immediate future of this war emerges . from the battle in Egypt. It is that a British army has destroyed the legend carefully propagated from Berlin and half believed till now by some of Britain’s friends that “the British aren’t so good in land, warfare.” After Dunkirk British soldiers, having met the Germans hand to hand in,Flanders, repeated over and over again in relating their experiences that given adequate weapons they could beat the Germans.

Well, what now? It is, I think, a fact that this is the first 'big-scale battle of this war in which any Allied land force has so harried and bashed an entire German army as to send it into “disorderly retreat.” The significant word here is the adjective. The Germans have been thrown back before in Libya by British arms, and in Russia by the Red Army. But in every case of general retirement—local engagements apart—the Germans have withdrawn in fairly good order to defence, positions from which to strike again. It may be too early to say that Rommel is so soundly thrashed as to be unable to stand, turn and fight. AH the same there is no question that at this moment he leads a rabble back into the wilderness where a fortnight ago he commanded a crack army. And British soldiers and airmen did this. ■The survivors of Dunkirk were right. Three weary years have had to elapse before good firm weapons could be put into their hands and the sky above 'filled with the aircraft they so sorely needed for a decent break. And what of British generalship? It means something to read that Rommel was outgeneralled, that he was fooled and made tactical mistakes. Five months ago some people saluted him as a genius, too good for any commander the British could put in the field. This man Montgomery is by all accounts a tough proposition. Has it anything to do with the fact that he is the son of a bishop? They say that some of the toughest come from the vicarages. A libel, possibly. Judging, however, by what has happened to Rommel, they come also from the houses of bishops. Anyway, Montgomery is described as Britain’s most ascetic general. Non-smoker and total abstainer, he normally goes to bed at 9.30 p.m., and gets up early iu the morning. He believes that no man can think clearly unless he is physically fit. At all events, he saw clearly a way in which to punch a hole in Rommel’s formidable Alamein defences.. He reverted to the old-fashioned barrage with infantry next, then the,tanks. If it hadn’t come off he would have been assailed as too old at 54, and a brasshat who couldn’t think further than 1916. The American corresponjlent who cabled from Cairo that he “began to detect the sweet fragrance of victory’ smelled correctly. But it might be added that before the enemy Is thrown out of North Africa, the so-called second front opened, and the triumphant march into Berlin consummated the United Nations must be prepared for a long and strong sniff of German cordite fumes.