NEWS IS SPARSE

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

NEWS IS SPARSE

Several Days Before Decision Can Be Reached

grim swing of battle

British Official Wireless

Rec. 12.30 p.m. RUGBY, Oct. 27. The news reaching London of the present Allied attack in Egypt _ is probably more sparse than during any previous large-scale operation in the Western Desert. Little beyond the brief but encouraging details contained in the communique is known. It is widely accepted by Press and military commentators that at least several days must elapse before anything like a decision can be achieved. . . The Times says experience of such actions shows that struggles Is are now to be expected are apt fn the early stages to sway grimly backwards and forwards over the same ground for many days before the resistance of the enemy can be broken and the way cleared for an armoured assault. Rommel to-day occupies a stronger defence position than any he has held in the North African war and has had abundance of time to fortify it to great depth. Allied infantry has successfully traversed the minefield and demolished some other lines of his system. Substantial numbers of prisoners have been taken, but the onset of armoured forces, which is the mam I battle, has barely begun.