ON THE EGYPTIAN FRONT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 July 1942, Page 3

ON THE EGYPTIAN FRONT

British and Imperial Forces Consolidating Gains HEAVY INFANTRY FIGHTING IN CENTRAL AREA UPWARDS OF 100 ENEMY PLANES DESTROYED DURING WEEK-END LONDON, July 23. There has been no official news of the fighting in Egypt since a Cairo communique reported heavy fighting all along the front yesterday, with some progress by the British force in the centre. Agency reports from Egypt suggest that the British forces are consolidating their gains on the El Alamein front. A correspondent, giving a picture of the fighting as it developed on a large scale, states that on the northern sector, Australians and South Africans fought hard for a chain of key positions running south-east. In the most northern of these positions the Australians were forced to retreat from some of the ground won and put in another attack. Fighting was still swaying to and fro at the time of the latest reports. In the central sector the fighting is more bitter than anywhere else on the front. German troops predominate among the Axis forces. Heavy infantry fighting is going on on rising ground. Just south, the New Zealanders and Indians have succeeded in driving the enemy from the whole of the Ruweisat Ridge. Tanks have been in action on the ridge and in the open country to the south-west. It is not yet known whether there has been any large tank to tank fighting. In the southern sector, United Kingdom troops are fighting the enemy on and about a high, narrow plateau. They made some progress, were counter-attacked and then again attacked. Fighting was still going on last night. Bombers, fighter-bombers and fighters carried out heavy and accurate attacks on enemy transport, tanks and gun positions throughout the day. Many direct hits were registered. More than 100 enemy planes were destroyed during weekend attacks on enemy landing grounds. This helped materially to restrict enemy air resistance on the eve of the battle, Yesterday’s fighting was not marked by any spectacular success. The most that anyone would say officially of the fighting was that it was not unsatisfactory.