FANTASTIC AFFAIR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 June 1942, Page 3

FANTASTIC AFFAIR

SOME REASONS SEEN FOR OPTIMISM ATTEMPT TO BOX ENEMY. ROMMEL PERSONALLY LEADING FORCES. (By Telegraph-Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, May 31. “General Rommel is personally leading his forces from a tank somewhere in the 200-mile square box south of Acroma, which the British have named “Waterloo Square,” says the British United Press correspondent with the Eighth Army. “It is the most fantastic battle in the history of tanks. If we are able to contain Rommel within this square and close the padlock in the south round the Knightsbridge crossroads, Rommel will be crushed, but it is a big if. There are some reasons for optimism, but in the light of the previous experiences no hopes are held out this time till the results actually materialise. The reasons for optimism are: First, the enemy tank losses are slightly more than ours. We lost more prisoners at the beginning, but hundreds have escaped and rejoined their units and are again fighting. Secondly, the enemy is defending the slenderest of supply lines, which is over hundreds of miles of track. Thirdly, the enemy has committed the bulk of his steel equipment, while we have considerable reserves ready to switch to any sector. Fourthly, the enemy is apparently

outnumbered in the air, except at night time when he uses shock tactics which are aimed at our nerves, with machine-gun fire, cannon fire and bombs in continuous relays to prevent the troops from sleeping. ■ The German tank forces have withdrawn some distance south of Knightsbridge, says Reuter’s correspondentwith the Eighth Army. The Allies’ firm stand at Bir Hakheim has greatly hampered the German supply organisation, and their armoured forces are believed to be running short of rations. German attempts to upset the British rear supply organisation by night bombing have completely failed. The Germans are fighting on British ground, and as a result all the damaged German tanks fall into our hands.