MIDDLE EAST COMMAND

Evening Star, Issue 24277, 19 August 1942, Page 5

MIDDLE EAST COMMAND

GENERAL ALEXANDER SUCCEEDS GENERAL AUGHINLECK (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 10.10 a.m.) RUGBY, August 18. It is officially announced that General Sir Harold Alexander, who led the British fighting withdrawal from Burma, succeeds General Sir Claude Auchinleck as • Commander-in-Chief, Middle East.

Lieutenant-general (B. L. Montgomery succeeds General (Ritchie as commander of the Eighth Army, while Major-general Lumsden is appointed to succeed “ Straffer ” Gott, who was killed. General Alexander, at 50 years of age, is recognised as one of the finest leaders of men in the British Army, whose strength, toughness, and determination are soon infused into the troops under his command. He is a believer in infiltration tactics and in cooperation between Army and Air Force. Major-general Lumsden became famous in the Middle East as a fighting commander in the second Battle of Libya. He was continually in action, and was always eager for an opportunity to hit the enemy hard. His favourite recreation is racing, and oh many occasions he has ridden winners. He has also ridden in the Grand National. RAIDS OVER ENGLAND (Rec. 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 18. During to-day there has been slight enemy activity over the coastal areas of South-eastern England. Damage and a small number of casualties are reported. KIANGSI PROVINCE JAPANESE COUNTER-ATTACKING (Rec. 10.55 a.m.) CHUNGKING, August 18. A communique states that the Japanese, counter-attacking in the central Kiangsi Province, captured four townships. The Japanese advance south of Linchwan is continuing. The Chinese reported repulsing 2,000 Japanese north-west of Shangjao.