TANK BATTLE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 3 September 1942, Page 2

TANK BATTLE

OUTCOME NOT YET KNOWN

SUCCESSFUL NIGHT AIR RAID (.Rec. 12.50 p.m.) London, Sept. 2. British tanks waiting in “hull down” positions southwards of Ruweisak 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 El 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.

New Zealanders and Australians in the early hours carried out raids on 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 to approach, refusing to be tempted from their own advantageous position and rush into an engagement in which they might suffer from the 88-min guns which generally closely support 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 the tired crews asleep beside them. In another depression Wellingtons attacked two laagers and started fires in what is described as the most successful night raid for several months.

The tank battle rejoined yesterday, but the outcome cannot be estimated at this stage.

The bulk of the forces now comprising the Eighth Army are from the United Kingdom, and those regiments in the south where the brunt of the attack has fallen are almost entirely English.—B.O.W. • ALLIED LIGHT BOMBERS Despite the dust yesterday, Allied light bombers kept up strong persistent attacks against enemy forces in the battle area and 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 a concentrated pattern amongst enemy land forces and transport vehicles not long after Axis troops had extinguished the fires started by our night bombers. By noon seven separate bomber raids had been made on the enemy. These highly successful raids by light bombers with fighter escort have begun to reach an intensity comparable with that in the earlier campaign around Knightsbridge. 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 Messerschmitts, all of which were probably destroyed or damaged. A few minutes later fighters sighted a formation of at least 40 Stukas escorted by over 30 fighters. Within two minutes the whole formation was in retreat without achieving any divebombing. Four Stukas and one Messerschmitt were seen crashing in flames. Several others were probably destroyed or damaged. Enemy casualties for the day were six bombers and five fighters. Our casualties were 11, but four of the pilots are safe. — 8.0. W. and P.A.