8TH ARMY SEEKS ELBOW ROOM

Southland Times, Issue 24887, 29 October 1942, Page 5

8TH ARMY SEEKS ELBOW ROOM

“Nibbling Process”

(Rec. 7.55 p.m.) LONDON, October 27. Since penetrating the enemy minefields the Bth Army has been engaged in hard and bitter fighting with the object of gaining elbow room within the enemy’s forward positions. The Allied forces gained ground at two points during Sunday night and on Monday the Italians and Germans frequently counter-attacked in an attempt to halt this nibbling process, but were unable to mount powei’ful counter-blows because the Allied air forces strongly intervene whenever sizeable enemy concentrations were sighted. Twice yesterday the air forces broke up enemy formations before they were able to deploy. Little graphic detail can be added to this outline because the war correspondents’ dispatches have apparently been held up by the censor. Only messages couched in the most general terms have been received in London hitherto. Only minor tank clashes have so far been reported. The fighting is mainly between infantry with heavy artillery support. Reuters Cairo correspondent states there has been much bitter hand-to-hand fighting, involving New Zealanders, Australians, South Africans and British troops. The 51st (Highland) Division has been in the thick of it. NIGHT-FIGHTERS USED The correspondent of The Times with the Bth Army says light bombers, medium bombers and fighters all day maintain an effective “umbrella” over the troops. Night-fighters give similar protection at night. Certain squadrons

have been specially trained for this work. They sallied out on a really large scale for the first time on Sunday and followed up last evening when Stukas attempted to take advantage of the falling dusk to launch a surprise blow against our forward positions. Night-fighters last evening shot down three Stukas. Long-range fighters strafed enemy convoys south-east of Sidi Barrani, where a number of petrol lorries was set on fire. v Axis sources admit the weight of the Allied offensive, but claim that they have the position in hand. The German Official News Agency says the Bth Army yesterday made increasingly heavy attacks on the Axis coast flank, where the greater part of the British tank force is concentrated. Tanks made a number of attacks, sometimes with the support of British and New Zealand infantry, strongly supported by British and American air formations. Most of the attacking waves came to a halt in the mine-fields. The Allied forces made slight breaches of no operational significance at the cost of heavy casualties. The Italians and Germans immediately sealed the breaches. A British tank brigade attempted to extend a local success achieved by the New Zealanders, but was forced to retreat. Some New Zealanders were taken prisoner. The British ceased their attacks on the southern and central sectors. REINFORCEMENTS FOR ROMMEL British Attacks Heavier (Rec. 12.20 am.) LONDON, Oct. 28. Urgent moves to rush reinforcements to Field-Marshal Rommel have already begun, according to reliable sources in Ankara, where Axis sources say the Bth Army’s attacks are being pushed ahead with increasing strength. Despite Axis claims that attacks have ceased on the southern and central sectors, Vichy radio describes fierce fighting on Ruweisak Ridge, where New Zealanders and Indian troops are repeatedly attacking. The radio says that specially trained British infantry landed east of Mersa Matruh. Italian forces immediately engaged the enemy, destroying two landing-craft. The announcement does not say that the landing was frustrated. Oslo radio says defensive fighting continued all yesterday and last night on the Alamein front, where, despite fierce German air attacks, the British succeeded in bringing up reinforcements. NEW ZEALAND TROOPS Casualties Comparatively Light (Official War Correspondent) CAIRO, October 27. Patrol activity on Sunday night was the only activity in which the New Zealand troops were engaged following the Bth Army’s major offensive, which opened on Friday night. Scanty news of the effort has so far reached Cairo since they gained all their objectives by the first light on Saturday morning. As far as is known they have not

been engaged in any major action since, but have continued to collaborate in the general plan of consolidation of the Sth Army’s first big gains. The casualties in the initial attack are believed to have been comparatively light.