DESERT LULL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 August 1942, Page 3

DESERT LULL

LIKELY TO BE SHATTERED SOON BOTH SIDES HEAVILY REINFORCED. SUGGESTIVE INDICATIONS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, August 25. As the August moon rises to the full, expectation increases that the desert lull will soon be shattered and the battle for Egypt resumed, says the correspondent of "The Times’’ in the Western Desert. It is impossible to say from which side the attack will come, but that it is coming is obvious to all. who have watched the ebb and flow of successive desert campaigns. Both sides have been heavily reinforced. Rommel, as far as can be gathered, has succeeded in getting to the front an entire new division —the 164th from Crete —plus a new Italian division, besides building up .the Ninetieth Light Division, which we considerably reduced. In addition, there is evidence that one German and one Italian parachute regiment have taken up their positions beside the armoured units. Features of special significance are reports of considerable movement from the southern end of the El Alamein line, where it was mistakenly thought that the nature of the ground precluded operations, but actually the ground at the edge of the Quattara Depression is exceptionally good; also the enemy air force has been suspiciously inactive recently, suggesting that it is being held back for some particular operation. With almost windless days, brilliant moonlight nights and a slight decrease in heat, dust and flies, conditions are ideal for the battle which is likely this week, or not later than next month. The Cairo correspondent of the ‘ uaily Telegraph” says there are good grounds for confidence. We have profited from the defeat in the Knightsbridge and Acroma fighting, and different tank tactics will be employed. The Salonika representative of “The Times” reports that four trains,- each of 30 wagons, carrying German troops and also some Italians from the north, arrived last week, presumably for Africa. SEVEN ENEMY TANKS DESTROYED AT LONG RANGE. LONDON, August 25. Seven enemy tanks were destroyed at a range of 81 miles by an artillery battery in the El Alamein area recently. An officer on reconnaissance saw 12 tanks within 100 yards of his car and gave the position to his guns. The first shells fell right on the mark, and the second round set fire to three tanks. The remainder were obscured in smoke and dust, but when it cleared there were seven out of action. Later the officer saw that other tanks had been nut out of action by the earlier bombardments. NEW ZEALAND ATTACK WITH MAORIS AS SPEARHEAD, SURPRISE BLOW STRUCK AT ITALIANS. LONDON, August 26. The lull in Egypt has been broken at one point on the front, when New Zealand troops attacked Italian forces in the centre of the line, following on an intense artillery barrage. The Maoris were the spearhead of the attack and took the Italians by surprise. Activity in the air has also boiled up. Enemy concentrations were attacked last night and a landing ground near El Daba was bombed by the R.A.F. and United States planes-, while South African bombers shot up a camp. Yesterday British planes were active in the southern sector, where they attacked a suspected army headquarters and supply vehicles, shipping and harbour works at Tobiuc were also bombed and enemy convoys in the Mediterranean and in the lonian Sea were attacked. Bombers and fighters were active over the for war battle areas. SUCCESSFUL AIR ATTACKS FINE RECORD OF FIGHTER SQUADRON. INCLUDING NEW ZEALAND PILOTS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) RUGBY, August 26. A Cairo communique states: “Our patrol activity continued during the night of August 24. Enemy patrols and working parties were engaged and harassed in the central sector. Yesteidaj there was nothing to report from oui land forces. Our light bombers, fighters and fighter-bombers were active in the forward area, direct hits being scored on enemy transport. Our longrange fighters attacked enemy eastbound transport vehicles on the Sol-lum-Mersa Matruh Road and inflicted casualties. “By shooting down in flames a Junkers 88 night raider over the Middle East battle area yesterday, a New Zealand pilot brought his own score of enemy aircraft destroyed to seven.his brings his squadron’s score to 288 destroyed, including 163 in the Middle East. This is the squadron with which cobber Kain fought in France. It has continued to include expert New Zealand fighter pilots ever since.” RAIDS ON TOBRUK MADE BY HEAVY BOMBERS. ATTACKS ON ENEMY SHIPS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.20 a.m.) RUGBY, August 26. Air activity over the El Alamein battlefront from August 22 to 25 has shown a gradual increase, culminating on Tuesday in an attack by fighters and fighter-bombers on a suspected

headquarters and on transport vehicles in the southern sector, says the Air Ministry News Service. Light bombers also operated effectively in the same area, and further west long-range fighters attacked eastbound road transport, inflicting considerable casualties. During the past few days heavy bombers have consistently raided Tobruk, scoring direct hits on shipping and causing explosions and fires. In Mediterranean raids on enemy convoys our torpedo-bombers scored a probable hit on a tanker in the lonian Sea and also possibles on a merchantman and a destroyer.