BIG OFFENSIVE EXPECTED SOON.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 211, 6 September 1941, Page 7

BIG OFFENSIVE EXPECTED SOON.

IN WESTERN DESEFT

Desperate Axis Attempt To Smash British

United Press Association.—CoprrigM.

Rec. 12.30 p.m. LONDON, Sept 5.

The belief is growing in weßr informed circles that the time I* approaching when British forces k| the Western Desert will again be heavily engaged by Germans and Italians.

A message to the New York Times from Cairo says thst General Sir Claude Auchinleck cannot wait until the Germans are able to pull a sizeable part eC their air force from the Russian front to send it to Africa. He fc almost certain to clear the Axis forces from Libya before the Germans consolidate their gains in Russia, and the late autumn seems a good bet now, but variation of any factor might alter the entire situation.

American aircraft and tanks are arriving in Egypt in ever increasing numbers. Some first-line German troops have been withdrawn temporarily from Africa, but Hitler, It is said, has put sharp pressure on Mussolini to pour men and machines into Africa in preparation for large, scale operations in the near future.

Evidence is accumulating that the Axis Powers are building up massive strength in the Western Desert. Observers visualise simultaneous attempts from the west and east to drive the Imperial armies from Eg3T?t and destroy them.

Italian Cruiser Hit; Liner Believe* Sunk

An Admiralty communique quoted bv British Official Wireless says that one of our submarines, operating close to the Straits of Messing carried out a successful attack on an enemy naval force. One enemy cruiser of the 10,000-ton class, armed with 8-inch guns, was hit by torpedoes and seriously damaged.

A large southbound liner has been torpedoed and almost certainly sunk by a British submarine off the coast of Italy, states an Admiralty communique, which adds: "This ship was possibly the Duilio, of 23,636 tons. When attacked she was in company with two other large passenger ships. Italian liners of this type are known to have been acting as troop transports.

"A laden southbound tanker has been torpedoed and sunk from another enemy convoy off Sicily. The Italian supply ship Aquitania, of 4971 tons, in the same convoy, was hit by a torpedo and severely "imaged. A supply ship of about 8000 tons has also been torpedoed and sunk by one of our submarines m the central Mediterranean."