SHORTAGE OF WEAPONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 41, 16 August 1941, Page 10

SHORTAGE OF WEAPONS

AXIS FORCES IN

AFRICA

PRISONERS' EVIDENCE

(Rec. 1 p.m.) LONDON, August 15. The German adventure in Russia has not entirely cut off Axis supplies in the Western Desert, but prisoners taken recently supply evidence that there is a shortage of weapons among the Axis forces, says a special correspondent fm the Western Desert. ; \ The Italians complain bitterly that they are often half-starved and seldom properly equipped, although the Ger-1 mans are well fed. Apparently there has .been some disorganisation of Axis supplies. This is probably due partly j to concentration on the effort in Russia, but the vigorous and constant action of the British Navy and the Royal! Air Force against enemy convoys has had a marked effect. The enemy recently tried to overcome his difficulties by using Bai'dia j as an unloading point, although it is only 50 miles from the most advanced j British troops. One ship entered Bar- j dia, but the immediate action of R.A.F. bombers forced it to steam hastily j away without unloading. "The enemy is still better equipped than the British forces," the correspondent states. "The question of the supply of arms is still supreme in Western Desert strategy. It is revealed that German tanks outnumber!ed ours by nearly two to one in the I last major engagement two months i ago. Since then new tanks have arrived from Britain, and increasing numbers of American tanks have also arrived. The Germans presumably [have received few reinforcements. Recently the enemy has been chary of tank engagements, suggesting that their superiority in that respect is precarious." ___^__