ALLIED COLUMNS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 July 1942, Page 3

ALLIED COLUMNS

ATTACKING SOUTH-WEST OF EL ALAMEIN HEADING TOWARDS COAST. REINFORCEMENTS REACHING BOTH SIDES. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, July 7. In the last 24 hours General Auchinleck has flung strong Al-; lied columns behind the enemy’s main concentrations south-west of El Alamein. These mobile forces are swinging out toward the north, heading for two points on the coast between El Alamein and El Daba. They are strongly-equipped with six-pounders and two-pounder anti-aircraft guns. So far they do not seem to have met with any opposition, according to Reuter’s observer, but other correspondents say that the British manoeuvre has started a series of confused movements by both sides over a wide area in front of El Alamein. Our planes are keeping up their all-out support of the ground forces. The columns include New Zealanders. The main Axis forces are now concentrated on two ridges west and south-west of El Alamein. While British reinforcements in troops, guns and tanks are moving west, correspondents say that the German command, too, is getting fresh supplies. Axis reports state that large convoys with new tanks have, reached Tobruk during the last few days.