Consolidating Gains On Egypt Front

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 255, 28 October 1942, Page 3

Consolidating Gains On Egypt Front

MOONLIGHT BATTLES Terrific Air Offensive Supports Allied Troops "J PA. and British Official Wireless.— Rec. 12.30 p.m.) ■ LONDON, October 27. In the fourth day of the battle in the We3tern Desert the Army consolidated its early gains and threw back enemy coun cr a ac s. The Associated Press correspondent at Cairo lT f ""T" p ? s,tlonß haVe penetrated at some TU «? 13 n ° reP ° rt ° f the maln force3 meeting. Ihe Bth Army appears to be moving deliberately and cautiously while consolidating each gain before driving on to Ha ? PUt UP a stiff distance at some points and there has been hand-to-hand fighting in the infantry night advances. S Reulcr's correspondent with the Bth Army reports that the enemy launched unsuccessful counter-attacks, which were suitably dealt w.th by the Allied Air Force, which is maintaining terrific pressure. he action along the whole front is being characterised by h.p: guns on our side, says the British United Press correspondent. While along some sections of the front the Allies gains are being consolidated, the'operations elsewhere are aimed at destroying enemy pockets left behind during the initial advance. There is no concealing the fact that a hard task faces the Bth Army in battering down the concentrated enemy forces. Thus even the slightest gams of ground are important over a terrain where, for the past four months, the enemy has been digging in behind a protective screen of minefields, with considerable defences in depth. Stukas Quickly Driven Off The Italian and German Air Forces have been more active over the forward positions. The Luftwaffe's heaviest attack of the battle was a dusk raid on Sunday against the British front line. The Axis planes encountered intense ground fire, and Allied night fighters, which were quickly and effectively on the job, drove off the Stukas. The Bth Army has gained more ground and held it against enemy counter-blows, says another message. The Middle East communique states that on Sunday night the Allied forces extended the area occupied in the enemy defences, and yesterday these gains were maintained. The fighting is still going on.

One correspondent in the desert states that the attacking forces have deepened, rather than widened, the gap made in the enemy's defences. They are taking the fullest advantage of the present bright moonlight nights, and a good deal of the fighting occurs during the night. The positions gained are being substantially held in the daytime and enlarged still further at night. The battle is still an infantry plus artillery operation, with close air co-operation. There has been no large tank battle yet. Enemy air activity has increased and the Allied air forces have been carrying out continuous fighter patrols to protect the troops on the ground. In the past 48 hours both fighter and bomber operations have been on a large scale, and Allied squadrons have attacked a great variety of targets. Fourteen enemy planes were shot down by fighters, and two others were also destroyed, one, a Messerschmitt 1 09, by fire from a bomber, and the other by small arms fire. Allied losses were four planes. An Axis convoy on its way to Libya was smashed up by Allied planes. It comprised three ships with four escorting destroyers and planes overhead. Allied heavy and light bombers and torpedo planes attacked relentlessly in the face of terrific fire from destroyers. A large supply ship was blown up and a tanker was probably destroyed. Only one Axis supply ship escaped. The Allied air forces are maintaining a continuous shuttle service attack against enemy concentrations, strong points and supply lines.