ARTILLERY EXCHANGES

Evening Star, Issue 24297, 11 September 1942, Page 3

ARTILLERY EXCHANGES

EGYPTIAN BATTLE FRONT ENEMY TANKS ENGAGED BY MOBILE COLUMNS (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 9.20 a.m.) RUGBY, September 10. A Middle East communique states: — “ On Tuesday night our patrol activity on the whole front continued, and there were artillery exchanges on the northern and central sectors. Yesterday, in the southern sector, our mobile columns engaged small parties of enemy tanks west of El Himeiraat. Air activity over the battle area was on a reduced scale. Our light bombers scored hits on lorries ou the Sidi Barrani-Mersa Matruh road, and our fighters shot down an M.C. 109 into the sea. Our Malta fighters shot down two enemy fighters over Sicily.” BEHIND ALLIED LINES AXIS LANDINGS FAIL LONDON, September 10. It can now be revealed that FieldMarshal Rommel attempted a number of landings from the sea behind our lines during last week’s attack. These were designed to create confusion by the carrying out of widespread sabotage. All the attempts failed, the landing parties being either killed or captured. Well-informed circles in Ankara state that the ships and planes which are being used to reinforce Rommel are capable of moving 8,000 men a day. They add that the reinforcements are coming mainly from Greece and Crete.

3,000 TAXIS OFF THE ROAD NEW YORK CURTAILMENT OF SERVICES (Rec. 8 a.m.) NEW YORK, Sept. 10. The order strictly curtailing taxicabs in New York will remove 3,000 vehicles from the streets ail'd save 10,000,000 gallons of petrol annually. THE WAKEFIELD FIRE ORIGIN A MYSTERY (Rec. 8 a.in.) WASHINGTON, September 10. The origin of the blaze on the transport Wakefield is still shrouded in mystery, which the navy refuses to discuss, but indicates that a naval court is investigating. The United Press’s representative, Walter Cronkite, _ who witnessed the blaze, says preliminary reports indicate a passenger’s carelessness, possibly a cigarette. [The Navy Department announced that the transport Wakefield (24,000 tons), formerly the liner Manhattan, queen of the United States merchant fleet, was severely damaged by fire af sea on September 3. The passengers and the crew, totalling 1,600, 'were removed without loss of life. Several were injured. The charred hulk has been salvaged and towed to an Atlantic coast port. The origin of the fire has not yet been determined.] AMAZING STATEMENTS AUSTRALIA FIRST MOVEMENT SYDNEY, Sept. 10. Amazing extracts over a period from September, 1940, to March, 1942, from the correspondence of three persons, all British subjects, associated with the Australia First Movement in New South Wales were road by the Attor-ney-General, Dr H. V. Evatt, to the House of Representatives. “ I myself regard the Australians in general as ‘ gutless swines ’ of the highest order—l don’t say so out of pique, but with great regret,” one extract declared. Another extract stated that the writer was enlisting with the A.I.E. with the intention of forming within the, ranks of the armed forces a semisecret organisation to accomplish “ complete independence, if necessary by force of arms.” Other extracts referred affectionately to u Adolf,” and declared that the Australian community as well as the British was beyond all power of realistic, rational appeal in continuing this “ silly ” war. “ While the movement was called Australia First, the detestation which some of these persons had l , not only for Britain and the United States, but for Australia as well, seems quite evident,” Dr Evatt said. Sixteen people in New South Wales and four in Western Australia had been interned in March last and Dr Evatt traced the history of the Western Australia trial, -where, he said, the evidence indicated a plan to welcome.the Japanese invader. BRITISH FILM SERVICE (British Official Wireless.) (Roc. 10 a.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 10. Mr George Archibald has been appointed director of the British Film Service, which is responsible for all British Government film activities in Britain. NEW AMERICAN BASES NEW YORK, September 10. The Washington correspondent of the Associated Press says the new bases of the United States at Galapagos will give protection to the Panama Canal on the Pacific side, 1,000 miles from the western entrance, and will also mean that the hazardous route from Panama to Australia will he much better protected than it was a few months ago,.