BRITISH FORCES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 September 1941, Page 6

BRITISH FORCES

IN THE WESTERN DESERT May Soon Be Heavily Engaged HITLER BRINGING PRESSURE ON MUSSOLINI LARGE SCALE OPERATIONS IN NEAR FUTURE ENEMY BUILDING UP MASSIVE FORCES (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) (Received This Day, 12,10 pan.) LONDON, September 5. _ The belief is growing in well informed circles that the time is approaching when the British forces in the Western Desert will again be heavily engaged by the Germans and Italians. A message to the “New York Times’’ from Cairo says that General Auchinleck cannot wait until the Germans are able to pull a sizeable part of their air force from the Russian front and send it to Africa. He is almost certain to clear the Axis forces from Libya before the Germans consolidate their gains in Russia. The late autumn seems a good bet now, but a variation of any factor might alter the entire situation. American aircraft and tanks are arriving in Egypt in everincreasing numbers. Some first line German troops nave been withdrawn temporarily from Africa, but Hitler is said to have put sharp pressure on Mussolini to pour men and machines into Africa in preparation for large scale operations in the near future. . . .... Evidence is accumulating that the Axis powers are building up massive strength in the Western Desert. Observers visualise simultaneous attempts from the west and east to drive the Imperial armies from Egypt and destroy them.