AXIS FORCES ATTACK IN EGYPT
BATTLE AT EL HIMEIMAT (United Press Association —Telegraph Copyright) (Rec. 1.10 a.m.) LONDON, September 1. Field-Marshal Erwin Rommel’s forces have broken the month-old lull in the Western Desert by launching an attack against the Bth Army’s southern flank near El Himeimat, a hill 200 ft. high on the edge of the Quattara Depression and about 25 miles south of El Alamein. The attack, which was launched yesterday, was immediately met by LieutenantGeneral B. L. Montgomery’s troops and the battle is still raging. A communique issued by the Middle East Command in Cairo this morning states that fighting went on all day yesterday. Several enemy aircraft were shot down by the British forces. Although dust hampered air operations the Allied air forces carried out raids on enemy targets in the battle area. Seven enemy aircraft were destroyed and many were damaged. Allied planes during the night bombed concentrations of enemy vehicles on the battlefield and long-range fighters hammered the enemy’s communications. Four German troop-carrying planes were shot down. On the previous night Tobruk was heavily raided by British and American planes. The first news of the attack came in a War Office communique which stated: “For some days there have been signs of renewed activity on Field-Marshal Rommel s front and early on Monday morning German forces, including armoured units, pushed forward against our southern flank in the neighbourhood of El Himeimat, which is on the fringe of the Quattara Depression, about 25 miles south of El Alamein. They were immediately engaged by our light forces. It is not yet certain whether the enemy offensive is on a major scale. A weak enemy thrust, mainly by Italians, against our main front was repulsed with loss to the enemy.”
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Southland Times, Issue 24838, 2 September 1942, Page 5
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292AXIS FORCES ATTACK IN EGYPT Southland Times, Issue 24838, 2 September 1942, Page 5
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