“IN OUR FAVOUR”

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20824, 1 July 1942, Page 3

“IN OUR FAVOUR”

POSITION IN EGYPT SITUATION REVIEWED GOOD LINE*"OF DEFENCE “It is, of course, idle .to prophesy, but in my opinion the chances in Egypt are definitely in our favour and, as yet, .there are no grounds for pessimism.” In these words, Mr. Claud H. Williams, writing with a knowledge of the country, concludes an examination of the situation following the withdrawal of the Imperial forces from Mersa Matruh. “The evacuation of Mersa Majtruh,” he writes, “will have caused a widespread feeling of disappointment. In reality, i.t should be a source of congratulation, for Mersa Matruh was no more defensible than Bardia, Solium, or Sidi Barrani, and was almost as easily by-passed or surrounded. , “To appreciate this, the map in last evening’s .Herald is of great value provided that the nature of the country is realised. The map shows that the distance from Mersa Matruh to idle .escarpment at Kattara is about 90 miles. To hold this line would have meant a very large force and the whole of .the country is suitable for armoured fighting vehicle movements. From Kattara eastwards to Bir Moghara the escarpment is an almost vertical cliff nearly 1000 ft. high. There is a difficult pass at Kattara and an easy one at Bir Moghara, but none between these points. Eastwards from Moghara the escarpment ceases to be a serious obstacle. Advantages of Shorter Line “If a serious attempt had been made to hold the Germans on the 90mile Mersa Matruh-Kattara line and that line were pierced, not only would Mersa Ma.truh have been isolated, but numbers of our forces might have been trapped along the escarpment. ‘The map shows that, .the coastline trends southwards from Mersa Matruh for about 120 miles to Alamein, which is only about 65 miles from Alexandria. But the distance from Alamein to .the escarpment is only about 35 miles. A line established from Alamein to Bir Moghara, with, of course, plenty of depth towards the west, has enormous advantages over any other line. It is much shorter and one flank rests on the sea and the other on an impassable cliff.. It cannot be outflanked and the country lends itself well to defence, a large part of it being studded with low rock knolls. The line can be supplied to the right from Alexandria or on the left flank across the open desert from Cairo. Unless Rommel sends a force far to the south —and this course would offer almost insurmountable difficulties —the supply line from Cairo cannot be cut. “If the line I have referred to is properly prepared—as, indeed, it should have been when Graziani threatened Egypt two years ago—then Rommel’s difficulties are only commencing. There are only two alternatives, a break-through into Egypt, which would be a major victory, or a definite check, which would, in effect, amount to a disastrous defeat, for he could not hold his gains indefinitely.”