GAINED BY EIGHTH ARMY IN EGYPT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 October 1942, Page 3

GAINED BY EIGHTH ARMY IN EGYPT

Infantry and Artillery Heavily Engaged WITH CLOSE AIR CO-OPERATION AND SUPPORT LARGE AXIS MERCHANTMAN AND TANKER DESTROYED LONDON, October 27. The Eighth Army, in its offensive in Egypt, has gained more ground, and held it. A Middle East communique states that on Sunday night the British forces extended the area occupied in the enemy defences and yesterday all the ground gained was maintained. Fighting is still going on. Tn London it is understood that the Allied troops had deepened the gap rather than widened it. They are taking advantage of the present bright moonlight and a good deal of '•> fighting is taking place at night. The present gains so far have been substantially held in the day and enlarged during the night. The fighting is by infantry and artillery, with close air force co-operation. No large tank battles have developed yet. Enemy air activity has again increased. Continuous fighter patrols are giving protection to the Allied troops on the ground. Allied planes have been in operation over the battle area during the last 48 hours, on Sunday and Monday, on a large scale and a variety of targets were attacked. Sixteen enemy planes were shot down. The Allied losses in the battle area were four planes. Six aircraft were lost in other operations. In an air operation outside the land battle area, against an enemy convoy attempting to sneak along the coast between Bardia and Tobruk, two merchantmen and a tanker, escorted by four destroyers and a heavy air screen were attacked. A large merchantman blew up and the tanker was destroyed. Two enemy planes were shot down.