ROMMEL'S SUPPLIES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 28, 3 February 1942, Page 5

ROMMEL'S SUPPLIES

MAINLY BY MOSQUITO FLEET

LONDON, February 1.

A Press correspondent in Cairo writes that while it is admitted that General Rommel received seaborne reinforcements, despite the heavy losses inflicted on Axis convoys, only a y small quantity of supplies must have reached North Africa. Most of them came in mosquito ships of from 50 to 150 tons. These could slip into small coves which were, unable to accommodate larger vessels. They would unload their cargoes and then scuttle back across the Mediterranean under cover of darkness. ,

It is doubtful whether General Rommel has received a sufficient number of heavy modern tanks or salvaged enough shattered tanks to replace his wrecked panzers and enable him to -launch a wide-scale operation or fight another mobile battle with any prospect of success. Even so, he has enough fire power to continue with advance raids, having probably saved in his withdrawal a good proportion of his mobile guns and a good number of his anti-tank guns, but this would only constitute a fragment of his original strength.

Now that General Rommel's men have taken the offensive they have probably regained some of their dash and confidence, despite heavy losses and hardships, but this no doubt will vanish as soon as they are hit' hard again.