LULL RESUMED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20874, 28 August 1942, Page 3

LULL RESUMED

EGYPTIAN FRONT ALUED AIR ACTIVITY AXIS TRANSPORT PASTED (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 27. After a spirited attack by the Maoris on Italian positions, another lull —described by the Rome radio as an uneasy calm —has settled down on the Egyptian front. A Middle East communique states that there was nothing to report yesterday from the land forces. There urns small scale air activity in the battle area, but our long-range fighters again successfully attacked enemy supply vehicles on the coastal road. A highly successful attack on enemy transport on the coast road between Mersa Matruh and Sidi Barrani was carried out by long-range fighters on Tuesday. Hundreds of casualties were inflicted on enemy troops, vehicles of all kinds were destroyed, troops in trucks were machine-gunned and shelled from a low level, and other lorries and tents were also attacked. During Tuesday night Bomber aircraft of the Royal Air Force and United States Army carried out an attack on the Corinth Canal. No details are yet available. MIDDLE EAST CHANGE TRANSFER OF AUCHINLECK MOVE BY SMUTS HINTED SYDNEY, Aug. 21. Some clue to the future of General Sir Claude Auchinleck, who has been replaced by General Sir Harold Alexander as Commander-in-Chief, Middle East, is being sought by the British public, states a London correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald. Informed comment questions the wisdom of changing the command at a time when an Axis offensive against

the Nile Delta is possible. There is also surprise at the transfer of General Alexander to a front away from the Far East, as he is the only British general to have fought the Japanese at close quarters throughout the verj difficult rearguard action in Burma. Some observers also hint that the conference between the British Prime Minister, Mr. Churchill, and the South African Prime Minister, Field-Marshal Smuts, when the former visited the Middle East on his way to Moscow, was connected with the change oi Commanders-in-Chief.

The public is wondering whether General Auchinleck has proved incompetent or whether his field appointments have caused difficulties, which have resulted in the change; whether repercussions, particularly in South Africa, following the fall ol Tobruk, led to pressure for reorganisation; or whether General Auchinleck will receive more responsible work. , _ , South African casualties at Tobruk were 10,100, most of whom have been classified “missing” or “missing believed prisoners,” and this has caused perturbation throughout South Africa. This somewhat resembles Australian alarm after the Greek, Crete and Malayan campaigns. The delicate political position in South Africa and General Smuts suggestion that he should meet Mr. Churchill in Cairo give weight tp the suggestion that General Smuts influenced the reorganisation.