FIRST TANK BATTLE

Evening Star, Issue 24290, 3 September 1942, Page 5

FIRST TANK BATTLE

SOUTH OF RUWBSJtT RIDGE OUTCOME NOT YET KNOWN (Bee. 12.50 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 2. British tanks waiting in “ hulldown ” positions southwards of Ruwsisat Ridge early yesterday sent salvo after salvo crashing into Rommel’s armoured ' columns as they thrust across the desert, reports Reuter’s correspondent on the Alamein front. It was the signal for the start of the first great tank battle since the Axis forces were halted at El Alamein two months ago. The New Zealanders and Australians in the early hours carried out raids in the northern and central sectors, but no details are at present available. The initial tank clash occurred an hour before sunset on Monday. Our armoured units had waited all day for the panzers’ approach, refusing to bo tempted from their own advantageous position and rush into an engagement in which they might suffer from the 88milliraetro guns, which are generally in close support of the tanks. “ General Grants ” opened up from behind the ridges, and others moved forward, while six-pounder anti-tank guns fired in support. The battle raged until dusk. A number of German Mark 111. and Mark IV. tanks are believed to have been knocked out, though not necessarily destroyed. Rommel’s forces after dark went into laagers. Using flares, our planes located a heavy concentration of enemy motor transport in a depression, also a number of enemy tanks, with tired crews asleep beside them, in another depression. Wellingtons attacked these two laagers, and started fires in what is described as the most successful night raid for several months. The tank battle was again joined yesterday, but the outcome cannot be estimated at this stage. FIERCE AIR COMBATS PERSISTENT ATTACKS ON ENEMY HEAVY BOMBING OF GROUND FORCES (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 10.55 a.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 2. Despite the dust yesterday, Allied light bombers kept up strong and persistent attacks against enemy forces in the battle area and on transport in their immediate rear, while fighters successfully attacked several large formations of Stukas which were heavily escorted by enemy fighters. “Soon after dawn the first of the bomber formations joined up with its fighter escort and carried off the first load of bombs, which fell in concentrated pattern amongst enemy land forces and transport vehicles not long after Axis troops had extinguished the j fires started by our night bombers.” By noon seven separate bomber raids had been made on the enemy, these being highly successful. (Raids by light bombers, with fighter escort, have begun to reach an intensity comparable to that in the earlier campaign around Knightsbridge. The evidence shows that considerable damage has been done to enemy ground forces. The first big clash came in the afternoon, when several of our squadrons patrolling over the battle area encountered four Mosserschmitts, all of which were probably destroyed or damaged. A few minutes later fighters , sighted a formation of at least 40 Stukas, escorted by over 00 fighters. Within two minutes the whole formation was in retreat without achieving any divebombing. Four Stukas and one Messerschmitt were seen crashing in flames and several others were probably destroyed or damaged. Enemy casualties for the day were six bombers and five fighters, and our casualties were 11 planes, but four of the pilots are safe. An earlier message stated that during dusk and on the night of August 31, bombers, assisted by naval aircraft, successfully attacked targets in the battle area and on landing grounds between Mersa Matruh and El Daba. In spite of rising sand, air operations over the battle area were oxteusive_ yesterday. Onr bombing was intensive and accurate. At least two Stuka formations wore attacked by our fighters, and the enemy on many occasions was forced to jettison his bombs. Six enemy bombers and five fighters were destroyed and over a dozen damaged. Long-range bombers attacked transport on the coastal road.