NO LAND ACTION TO REPORT

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23714, 12 August 1942, Page 3

NO LAND ACTION TO REPORT

ALLIED AIR ATTACKS IN EGYPT PREPARATIONS FOR “ NEXT ROUND” (Received August 11, 11 p.m.) (N.Z.P.A.) LONDON, August 11. To-day’s Cairo communique says: “Patrol activity continued on Sunday night in all sectors. Yesterday there was nothing to report from our land forces. “Our fighter-bombers and fighters were active over the battle area yesterday, but the enemy’s air effort wa? on a reduced scale. The principal air attacks were on enemy transport vehicles and supply concentrations. “Shipping was successfully attacked off the North African coast. One enemy lighter was sunk and another damaged. Over Malta three Messerschmitts were shot down by our fighters.’’ Though the lull in the land fighting in Egypt continues, increased artillery activity points to a renewal of large-scale action. The air war has livened up. Marshal Rommel has thrown in fresh fighter reinforcements and tlie Royal Air Force has countered with a non-stop day and night offensive against advanced Axis aerodromes. American armoured units assigned to various British reserve regimems are ready to go in when the gong sounds for the next round. The Cairo correspondent of the “Daily Express" says: “Marshal Rommel has been using the period of watchful waiting to strengthen his defences and acclimatise his reinforcements. The Afrika Korps is particularly short of infantry. The Italians are being reinforced with convicts reprieved on condition that they fight in Africa.” General dc Gaulle, leader of the Fighting French, reviewed the Fighting French force at its desert headquarters and decorated officers and men who he’d up Marshal Rommel’s push at Bir Hacheim. The march past was most impressive. It included tanks and armoured cars. It is now learned that LieutenantGeneral W. H. E. Gott. reported yesterday as killed in action, was killed while he was returning to Cairo from the Western Desert. CHINESE ATTACK ON LINCHWAN CITY SURROUNDED U.s. BOMBERS RAID HAIPHONG (Received August 11, 7 p.m.) LONDON. August 10. In China the Chinese forces are still battering at the walled city of Linchwan, the main Japanese base, in Kiangsi Province. The Japanese have counter-attacked fiercely and there have been heavy losses on both sides. From gun positions in the hills nortlmwest of the city the Chinese have been able to prevent the Japanese bringing supplies up the river. Many Japanese river transports have been forced back by heavy Chinese fire. On the Chekiang-Kiangsi border there is heavy fighting, and further east the Chinese claim that the Japanese drive to the south has been halted by Chinese counter-attacks. A Chungking communique says; “Fierce fighting continues unabated on the outskirts of jLinchwan, which is completely surrounded. Some points have changed hands 10 times.” United States aeroplanes bombed the waterfront at Haiphong, in Indochina, causing extensive damage. They scored hits on steamers in port. A communique from Lieutenant-Gen-eral J. B. Stilwell’s headquarters reveals that a direct hit was scored on a 4000-ton steamer and a large oil fire was started in the docks. All the bombs landed in the target area. After the bombers had released their loads the escorting aeroplanes ma-chine-gunned the docks. The complete lack of opposition indicated the enemy had been taken by surpme. PRIMACY" FOR AIR ARM URGED U S. SENATE DISCUSSION WASHINGTON, August 10. Senator J. B. Lee, chairman of the United States Senate Military Affairs Sub-committee which is investigating cargo aeroplane construction, to-day demanded in the Senate that the Army and Navy be made subordinate to the air arm, because air power would win the war. The Army and Navy, he said, should be auxiliaries, and an airman put in charge of strategy. He declared that in the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway Island the Navy had not fired a single shot, except into the aircraft-carrier Lexington. Senator Scott W. Lucas asked whose judgment should be taken —that of Senator Lee or that of experts on whose training millions had- been spent. Senator Lee replied that time and time again Anny and Navy experts had been proved wrong. Hiller had overruled his generals and made air power the spearhead of every successful campaign. “Well, Hitler is not going to win the war,” replied Senator Lucas. French Prisoners Released. —By what the Gorman radio calls Hitler's magnanimity, 1000 French prisoners of war have been sent home from Germany, following the French-German agreement. There are, however, 1.500,000 French prisoners in German camps. The first 1000 were seen off by German officials with Hitler’s full blessing. It will be recalled that the Germans promised to repatriate prisoners in exchange for French workers who went to Germany.—London, August 10.

Naval Charities Benefit.—More than £SOOO has been paid by 85,000 people who .have inspected the Japanese midget submarines now being exhibited in Sydney. The exhibition is to continue this week. The proceeds will go to naval charities.—Sydney, August 11.