ABORTIVE EFFORTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 July 1942, Page 3

ABORTIVE EFFORTS

MADE BY THE ENEMY TO PRESS BACK BRITISH WEDGES. AUSTRALIAN NIGHT ATTACKS. LONDON, July 19. General Auchinleck retains the initiative in Egypt, according to latest dispatches from Cairo. The British wedges atßuweisak and Tel el Isa are obviously worrying Rommel, who is doing his utmost with armoured forces, artillery, infantry and planes to press them back. New Zealand and Indian troops still hold Ruweisak Ridge, despite fierce enemy attacks. A determined thrust against the Indian positions on Friday morning failed. The Australians and South Africans in a dawn attack on Friday advanced six miles into enemy territory and captured el Makhrad Ridge and Ruin Ridge, a few miles from the Egyptian coast. The Germans and Italians hit back heavily with tanks, infantry and Stukas, forcing the Australians to evacuate Ruin Ridge. Despite this retirement, the Allies gained control of 20 square miles of enemy territory. After- forcing the Australians to evacuate Ruin Ridge, the Germans attempted to push the attack further, but were halted by British, Australian and South African artillery. Late at night the Australians again drove into the Germans in a silent attack, recapturing the ground they had lost. Then the Australians went out in raiding columns, severely beating up Italian infantry and inflicting considerable casualties. The New Zealanders and Indians are strengthening the wedge they drove into the German positions in the central sector.

SURPRISE POSSIBLE FOR GERMANS IN EGYPT. STATEMENT BY MR NASH. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON, July 16. Suggesting that the Germans had themselves been surprised that they got so far in Egypt,' Mr Walter Nash said today: “They may be just as sur- 1 prised at what happens in the next week or two.” Mr Nash was acting as spokesman for the Pacific War Council, which had just made a survey of war problems. He explained that attention was largely focused on the Mediterranean, where the situation had obviously improved. Nevertheless, troubles and difficulties were still sternly real, and therefore it would be unwise to boast. Asked whether the importance attached to the Mediterranean derived from the possibility of the Germans and the Japanese pressing for junction of their forces through India, Mr Nash replied: “That’s a dream that has been given some currency,” and then added his comment about the possibility of surprises for the Germans. Mr Nash introduced to President Roosevelt Commodore Parry, who is on his way home after serving for a period as Chief of the Naval Staff in New Zealand, and Captain Geoffrey Cox, first secretary at the New Zealand Legation.