BATTLE OF EGYPT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20916, 16 October 1942, Page 3

BATTLE OF EGYPT

PENDING ALLIED MOVE AXIS ON DEFENSIVE ROMMEL CHANGES PLANS (11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 15. The visit of General J. C. Smuts, the South African Prime Minister, may accord with the portents of the coming inevitable Battle of Egypt, says the Daily Express in a leader. The weight of the air attacks against Malta reveals the importance of the convoys now reinforcing General Rommel and the presence of the U-boat packs off Africa shows how much the .Axis desires to interrupt our Middle East reinforcements. The cutting of this route has been given priority in the German sea-war plans. For Germany and for us, a victory in Egypt could provide a master key to winning the war. The Axis forces in Egypt have abandoned all offensive dispositions, reports the Daily Telegraph’s correspondent in Cairo. General Rommel has changed his plans with Teutonic thoroughness, and the Alamein front has been intensively wired and mined with a view to making it impregnable. The main Axis positions across the Alamein neck are being steadily increased and their depth now extends back for nearly three miles. Allied headquarters in Cairo report that our patrols were active on Tuesday night. Yesterday there was nothing to report from our land forces. Air activity over the battle area was on a reduced scale. Our fighterbombers attacked targets in the southern sector and at Daba. Two enemy aircraft were shot down during an offensive sweep. American heavy bombers carried out a daylight attack on shipping in Tobruk harbour. Two direct hits are claimed on a large merchant vessel.