OPINION IN LONDON

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 July 1942, Page 3

OPINION IN LONDON

SIGNIFICANCE OF ALLIED ATTACK DEFINITELY LIMITED OPERATION. ARMOURED FORCES MASSING IN CENTRE. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) LONDON, July 13. Our troops are also withstanding enemy attacks in the central sector. One enemy tank thrust here was met by counter-blows from our armoured units. Artillery fighting yesterday was generally, of lesser intensity. Commentators in London emphasise that the latest communique to this effect confirms earlier impressions that the Allies’ advance was merely a successful counter-attack and did not mark the opening of a counter-offen-sive. . ~ , A message from Cairo says that consolidating operations in Egypt on Saturday were carried out in the face of continuous small-scale attacks and under a heavier bombing strafing than the Allies had experienced for a long time. The Allied advance on Friday successfully established a new line extending from Tel el Isa, from thence bending slightly to the east in the central sector and finally bending to the west near the Quattara Depression. Our tactics in the southern sector induced the enemy to give up an attempt to straighten the line, and there are indications that enemy armoured forces in the southern sector were hurriedly drawn off and probably sent to swell the armoured concentration on the central sector. The Allied main armoured forces are in position all alo.ng the central sector confronting the' bulk of the panzers. It is here that a large-scale armoured clash can be expected. When 30 enemy tanks were sighted late on Friday it was expected that a battle would ensue, but the enemy declined the engagement. 2 Near the Quattara Depression there has been little activity, and an observer said yesterday that the enemy had not been able to move east.