SUCCESS OF 8TH ARMY

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23800, 20 November 1942, Page 5

SUCCESS OF BTH ARMY

REVIEW BY GENERAL ALEXANDER ENEMY DEFENCES AT EL AGHEILA (8.0. W.) RUGBY, Nov. 18. Speaking in Cairo to-day, the Com-mander-In-Chief in the Middle East (General Sir Harold Alexander) said that the battle had gone faster than he anticipated. It was known that there would be a hard slogging match for at least a week, because the Allies had to punch a hole in the enemy’s defences and let their armour through. After that initial stage the Bth Army pushed the enemy back from Alamein to Tobruk in less than a week, just half the time it took Marshal Rommel to push from Tobruk to Alamein in June. General Alexander caid he thought that if anybody was entitled to talk about a blitzkrieg, surely the British were. “This success Is due to no weakness on the part of the Gormans,” he declared, "It was our strength that threw them back. Surprise was one of the biggest factors in our success. They did not know where the attack was coming nor when. The terrific weight °£ our artillery and bombing, plus the fine fighting qualities of our infantry, opened the gate and let our armour through. All the main fighting was against the Germans, and they were thrashed. The Italians hardly came mto the picture. "The enemy tried to hold us at Ajamein,” he continued, “and he is still trying all the time to delay us, put he is not succeeding. The enemy is now handicapped by a shortage of transport. Although the quality of his equipment has not deteriorated, the quantity has been reduced considerably. He is probably short of oil. What transport he has left is not desertworthy. which explains why he is sticking to the main road along the coast instead of splitting up his columns and using the desert tracks. The trip across the desert from Mekili to Msus would have been too hazardous for him, Enemy Supply Difficulties "Thanks to the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, the enemy is not getting new equipment in any quantity, and although no doubt he will do all he can to get equipment, his task will become increasingly difficult with the rapid advance of Allied landing-fields. He will not be able to use Benghazi harbour much longer, and he will then have only, Tripoli. The enemy might hy to evacuate his troops from North Africa in the manner of the similar British evacuation of Dunkirk, but it Will be an expensive operation. He will probably leave a small rearguard behind at El Agheila, but only small forces are at his disposal. These are disorganised, and they lack equipment. Nevertheless he will probably try to hold El Agheila as long as possible, so as to organise himself further back.” At El Agheila, said General Alexander, were strong prepared positions with minefields and wire. There might still be very heavy fighting ahead, but Marshal Rommel could not stand long was reinforced. How long ‘■TOHPpny could hold on in Tunisia also on the reinforcements he could bring in by sea. He would ho doubt hold on to Bizerte as long as possible, but he must use the sea for bringing in reinforcements. General Alexander said the total Axis losses in the Battle of Egypt were about 75.000 men, of whom 30,000 were estimated to have been killed °r wounded. The Axis losses were still growing. “I ain sure the enemy will not pull out unless he Is forced to. There is nothing to suggest that he is pulling out. He may pull out if we get at him from Tunisia and Tripolitania. but first, he will try to hold us back. He intends to fight because he hopes mat if he can maintain the El Agheila hne it will result in a temporary stalemate.” Powers Sought by Roosevelt. —The Ways and Means Committee of the United States House of Representatives rejected Mr Roosevelt’s request for Blanket powers to suspend the immi•fation, tariff, and espionage laws Ijere they are hampering the war wort. A sub-committee was appointed * work cMit a compromise proposal, •onfined t'ilj specific , restrictions,— Washington, 18.