ROMMEL’S NEW PUSH

Evening Star, Issue 24289, 2 September 1942, Page 5

ROMMEL’S NEW PUSH

Eight-mile Advance Sn South Central Line Firmly Held Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright (Rec. 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 1. Rommel has advanced pight miles in his new push in the southern sector of the El Alamein front, says Reuter’s Cairo correspondent. The advance was made through Allied minefields. The Axis attempt to punch through the centre of the El Alamein lino has been firmly held, and the situation there is described as being fully under control. Heavy fighting continues in the southern sector. The Germans are using all types of equipment, including heavy tanks and dive bombers. ■ Another Cairo message states that by the light of the waning moon two strong Axis columns thrust towards General Montgomery’s fluid southern sector at 1 o’clock yesterday morning. The Allied artillery and air forces vigorously • attacked the German tanks, accompanied by big formations of motor transports. As they pushed forward along the dry river beds Rommel’s Nineteenth Light Infantrymen were heavily shelled as they became entangled in the minefield. They were then engaged by our infantry. The Allied tank forces did not make contact with the enemy throughout yesterday. The Axis forces were slightly withdrawn from a point reached a little to the north-east of El Himeiamat, which is a hill position around which the main fighting proceeded all day. This was the farthest point of the Axis advance. The British United Press correspondent with the Eighth Army says that Rommel’s advance is characterised by extreme caution. The German tanks are mostly Mark lll.’s, which are not attacking in a body, but widely spread out in clusters. Rommel transferred supplies' of ammunition, fuel, and other stores on Tuesday and Wednesday from north to south, Allied air forces observed the movement and severely pasted . the transports. Dust storms aided the early stages of Rommel’s attack, particularly because they interfered with the refuelling of our planes.