FLUID ACTION IN DESERT
MOBILE DEFENSIVE SYSTEM LONDON, September 2. The armoured clashes which began in the early morning hours of Tuesday with Field-Marshal Rommel’s thrust against the Allied southern flank continued until 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Since then the front has been quiet except for the heavy shelling and bombing of the enemy troops in this sector. The tank battle here at no time was “all out” on either side and was a fluid action over a wide area. It never reached any decisive stage. It is explained that in this area the Allies have no rigid defence line. They depend, rather, on a deep and mobile defensive system and there has been at all times a no man’s land between the Allied and German forces. The terrain here is fairly good for armour. The country consists of a sandy, hillocky plain, broken here and there by slight depressions and low ridges. The bulk of the forces now comprising the Bth Army are from the United Kingdom and those regiments in the south where the brunt of the attack has fallen are almost entirely English. RAID BY NEW ZEALANDERS British tanks waiting in “hull down” positions south of Ruweisak Ridge early yesterday sent salvo after salvo crashing into Field-Marshal Rommel’s armoured columns as they thrust across the desert, reports Reuters 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 first tank clash occurred an hour before sunset on Monday. Our armoured units had waited throughout the day for the panzer columns to approach, refusing to be tempted from their own advantageous position and to rush into an engagement in which they might suffer from the 88 millimetre guns which generally closely support the tanks. General Grants opened up from behind the ridges and others moved forward, while six-pounder antitank 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. Field-Marshal Rommel’s forces after dark went into laagers. Using flares, our planes located a heavy concentration of enemy motor transport in a depression and iso a number of enemy tanks with tired crews asleep beside them in another depression. Wellingtons attacked these two laagers and started fires in what is described as the most successful night raid for several months. The tank battle was resumed the next day, but the outcome cannot be estimated at this stage.
N.Z. GUNNERS’ SUCCESS Five Axis Planes Destroyed (Official War Correspondent) WESTERN DESERT, Sept. 1. A record number of five planes was brought down by New Zealand antiaircraft gunners yesterday. The performance was exceptionally creditable, as three of the planes were fast Messerschmitt 109 F’s. The other two were Macchi 202’s. One plane, which was evidently carrying a bomb-load, just disintegrated in mid-air, but the others crashed and caught fire. The pilot of one parachuted to within a few yards of the headquarters of the anti-aircraft regiment which had shot him down. It was a busy day for the anti-air-craft batteries, but many of the planes seen were concentrating on other areas. The New Zealanders escaped with only light raids. A dust storm hindered artillery activity, but our guns were engaged in dispersing tank and lorry formations. Strong patrols accompanied by tanks which went out from the New Zealand lines last night performed their tasks without much incident. One tank crashed over a forry and an anti-tank fun, destroyed several machine-guns and over-ran infantry in weapon pits. Another lorry was destroyed with a hand grenade. The divisional cavalry has been active and this morning captured an armoured car. MR WILLKIE IN CAIRO (8.0.W.) RUGBY, September 2. Mr Wendell Willkie has arrived in Cairo.
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Southland Times, Issue 24840, 4 September 1942, Page 5
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667FLUID ACTION IN DESERT Southland Times, Issue 24840, 4 September 1942, Page 5
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