DESERT FIGHTING

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 236, 6 October 1942, Page 3

DESERT FIGHTING

ALL SECTORS ACTIVE

Submarines Do Good Work In Mediterranean Rec. noon. LONDON, Oct, 5. The Cairo communique reports: On Sunday night our patrols were active in all sectors. On the same night torpedo-carrying aircraft scored a direct hit on the centre of a medium-sized vessel in a south-bound enemy convoy in the lonian Sea. One fighter aircraft was lost in the defence of Malta."

The Times correspondent in the \Vestern Desert sends a more detailed account of the British attack on Manassib on Wednesday than has hitherto been available. He says the enemy was dug in in a very strong natural position. Every gun in the British line opened up in the early morning in a tremendous concentrated barrage.

The troops moved forward feeling their way delicately through the pitch darkness. Guards guided them through the difficult and narrow gaps in the British minefields. The British dashed across the limited no-man's-land before coming to the edge of the enemy's extensive minefields which surrounded the entire position and in which British sappers all night had made gaps. The British advance, the correspondent continues, then was made under a smokescreen by several columns. Most of the enemy objectives were on the northern side of Manassib. Immediate progress was made in that direction in spite of strong enemy fire, barbed wire, minefields and booby traps. By midmorning the first two objectives were in British hands.

Progress on the southern side was not so successful. The British here had also to cope with exceptionally hard going on broken ground. The column reached the objective, but as has happened so often in this part of the desert, they could not hold their gains, as it was impossible to dig in.

The Admiralty states that British and Allied submarines continue their successful attacks on enemy shipping in the Mediterranean. A submarine under Lieutenant Maydon, twice torpedoed a large supply ship, and although not seen to sink it is considered to have been destroyed. Another supply ship of medium size was torpedoed and sunk off the Libyan coast by a submarine under Lieutenant-Commander Kipkins. A Greek submarine, under Lieu-tenant-Commander Ralwis, torpedoed and sank another supply ship.

FERRY SERVICE

American Army To Take Over

Middle East Route

PRIVATE COMPANY PRAISED

Rec. 9.30 a.m. WASHINGTON, Oct. 5

The United States Army intends to take over the plane ferrying service from the United States to the Middle East on November 1, after the expiration of the contract held by PanAmerican Airways, which has been carrying on the work with civilian pilots.

Army officials stated that PanAmerican Airways pioneered the routes and had done a brilliant job, but the army had for a long time been preparing to use military crews for the ferry service in combat zones. All planes destined for the American Air Force as well as lendlease craft would be handled by the army. Many Pan-American civilian pilots hitherto engaged w r ere expected to accept commissions and continue in the service.