RAPID PROGRESS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 November 1942, Page 3

RAPID PROGRESS

EIGHTH ARMY DRIYE IN LIBYA SURVEY BY GENERAL ALEXANDER ENEMY MAY ATTEMPT STAND. ON THE WESTERN FRINGE OF CYRENAICA. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.25 a.m.) RUGBY, November 18. General Alexander (Commander-in-Chief in the Middle East), speaking in Cairo today, according to an agency message, said the battle had gone faster than he had anticipated. It was known .that there would be a hard slogging match for at least a week, because we had to punch a hole in the enemy’s' defences and let our armour through. After that initial stage the Eighth Army pushed the enemy back from El Alamein to Tobruk in less than a-week —just half the time it took Rommel to push from Tobruk to El Alamein in June. The general thought that if anybody was entitled to talk about a blitzkreig, surely we were. He continued: “This success was due to no weakness on the part of the Germans. It was our strength that threw them back. Surprise was one of the biggest factors in our success. They did not' know yhere the attack was coming, nor when. The terrific weight of our artillery and bombing, plus the fine fighting'qualities of our infantry, opened the gate and let our armour through. All the main fighting was against the Germans and they were thrashed. The Italians hardly came into the picture. The enemy tried to hold us at El Alamein and is still trying all the time to delay us, but is not succeeding. The enemy is now handicapped by shortage of transport. Although the quality of his equipment has not deteriorated the quantity has been reduced considerably. He is probably short of oil. What transport he has left is not desert-worthy, which explains why he is sticking to the main road along the coast, instead of splitting up his columns and using the desert tracks. The trip across the desert from Mekili to Msus would have been too hazardous for him. Thanks to the Royal Navy and the R.A.F., the enemy is not getting new equipment in any quantity and although no doubt he will do all he can to get equipment, his task will

become increasingly difficult with the rapid advance of Allied landing fields. He will not be able to use Benghazi harbour much longer and will then have only Tripoli.” The enemy might try to evacuate his troops from North Africa in a manner similar to the British evacuation of Dunkirk, General Alexander observed, but it would be an expensive operation. He probably would leave a small rearguard behind at El Agheila, but only small forces were at his disposal. These were disorganised and lacked equipment. Nevertheless he would probably try to hold El Agheila as long as possible, so as to organise himself further back. At El Agheila there were strong prepared positions, with minefields and wire. There might still be very heavy fighting ahead, but Rommel could not stand up long unless he were reinforced. How long the enemy could hold on in Tunisia depended also on the reinforcements he could bring in by sea. He would, no doubt, hold on to Bizerta as long as possible, but he must use the sea for bringing in reinforcements. MISSION FROM DAKAR CAPITULATION NEGOTIATIONS UNDER WAY. LONDON, November 18. . The Liberian radio says that a military mission from Dakar is en route to North Africa. The radio added that British officials in West Africa interpret this to mean that negotiations for peaceful capitulation of Dakar are under way. VICTIMS OF VICHY SEVEN FRENCH OFFICERS SHOT. FOR ASSISTING GENERAL GIRAUD TO ESCAPE. LONDON, November 18. The Paris radio announced that seven French officers have been shot for assisting General Giraud to escape. , AFRICAN LANDINGS GREAT COMBINED OPERATION. LONDON, November 17. Britain’s Chief of Combined Operations, Vice-Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, has congratulated General Eisenhower on what he calls the greatest combined operation of all time. In his reply General Eisenhower paid a tribute to the help received from Combined Operations. Behind the exchange of telegrams lies a story of perfect co-operation and, the part played by Combined Operations in preparation for the North African landing. A correspondent says that the plans for the assault were prepared by Combined Operations at General Eisenhower’s request, and long before the landings were made the troops who took part were rigorously trained, in commando assault tactics at Combined Operations training centres in Britain. In short, they profited by all the lessons the commandos had learnt during the raids launched from Britain on. occupied Europe. In addition, Combined Operations provided the equipment and landing craft.