SPECULATION ON ROMMEL'S MOVE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 3 September 1942, Page 5

SPECULATION ON ROMMEL'S MOVE

London, Sept. L Whether the present operations in Lgypt are a full scale offensiv, or merely local, only events of the next few days will show, says "1 he Times’’ correspondent with the Eighth Army. Under its new Com-mander-in-Chief, General Alexander, the Eighth Army is in great heart, refreshed, reinforced and eager for action. There is full realisation of the vital importance of throwing back the enemy and it can be confidently asserted that our men will fight to the finish Allied official attitude is neither optimistic nor pessimistic, but realistic. For reason of military strategy and policy there is likely to be little news for the next few days.

‘ The Times” military writer says both sides have been strongly reinforced | since the last fighting. The enemy re- j eently received one new German and j one Italian division. The enemy’s j force now apparently includes the Get- j man 15th and 24th armoured divisions, ■ the 19th light and 164th divisions, the | Italian Ariete and Vittorio armoured divisions and the Brescia, Pavia, Trento, Bologna and Pistoi divisions. A German parachute battalion is also identified. All these formations are in strategic ; battle zone but are not necessarily close j' to the front. There may be other Ital- ! 1 ian divisions at Tripoli. It is an extra -\ \ ordinarily powerful army to maintain i in the desert through shattered ports | with improvised facilities. There is reason to believe the enemy’s tank strength is not very high and also probably the enemy does not possess army and corps troops in adequate strength I for an army of twelve divisions. ROMMEL’S ADVANCE The Cairo correspondent of the “Daily j Mail” says the Allied forces made no i i real attempt to stop Rommel’s advance, j I but only to delay him. Therefore his advance is regarded as slow and no pessimism is felt here concerning it. From the Allies’ viewpoint the battle has not yet begun. Field-Marshal Rommel has merely moved into what is regarded as a huge no-man s-land.

The latest dispatches from the desert state that Rommel, after an advance of eight miles through Allied minefields near El Himeimat swung one column north-eastward and another due north towards Ruweisak Ridge. “The “Daily Telegraph’s” correspondent with the Eighth Army says Rommel . is apparently seeking out our main tank force which General Montgomery is holding in reserve until the German column has been weakened by artillerj* and air attacks.—P.A.