FLIGHT FROM EGYPT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 292, 9 November 1942, Page 2

FLIGHT FROM EGYPT

ROUT OF THE AXIS

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (1.25 p.m.) RUGBY, Nov. 8. The full retreat of the panzer army in Egypt may now be fairly described as a rout, according to military observers in

London. This is not taken to mean however, that no Axis

forces rvill succeed in escaping

One fact stressed in London is that the bulk of the Axis forces which suffered defeat are Germans, including the Afrika Korps, the flower of the German army under Rommel. The idea that the Germans were let down by their allies is nonsense. General Montgomery, in fact, attacked in the north, knowing that in the event of success the remaining forces would fall into his hands arid could be dealt with at leisure. It is now disclosed that the Northumberland Fusiliers, the Durham Light Infantry, the Green Howards and tho Gordons are further British regiments engaged in Egypt.—Official Wireless. A. London cable states that the Allied air forces arc right on the heels of the advancing ground forces, and many squadrons are operating from aerodromes which one or two days ago they were blitzing. The captured aerodromes are all littered with wrecks of planes and gliders totalling several hundreds. Some gliders aro capable of carrying trucks. The last German rearguard unit fighting east of Halfaya Pass has been overwhelmed a few miles west

of Mersn Mntruh. A member of the Greek Embassy in Washington disclosed that Greek forces which are participating in the attack against Rommel represent the largest number of fighting men in General Montgomery’s army, other than the British. An Italian communique says: “Strong enemy forces yesterday exerted great pressure in the Mcrsa Mntruh area, where prolonged and hard fighting occurred. PANZER FORCE DISINTEGRATES A correspondent says there are indications that the remnant of the panzer army is dissolving and losing cohesion. Aftor the Fuku battle the tendency was' for this small force to disintegrate. It seems clear that all the Italian divisions wore cut off with no hope of getting away. The Italian prisoners arc bitter at the way their German friends deserted them —they virtually delivered them into our hands. These shoals of Mussolini’s infantry had not even a cliapcc to he routed, hut only, like sheep, to be rounded up. Another correspondent says that at El Daba the railway station yard is full with loaded railway wagons left behind by the enemy. Of the road westward he said it is an amazing sight—a shambles of wrecked vehicles, blown up, burnt out or just standing apparently whole, but with their contents strewn out across the ground behind them. Along the road passed convoy after convoy of prisoners. Regarding the disposal of prisoners lie recounts an amusing episode of a Scottish officer who found “tho German army paddling on the coast.” The officer asked the correspondent and his party whether they had anyone they could spare, because he had truck after truck of Gormans and had to get them back somewhere. When asked how lie came by them he said he found them paddling on the coast. From the commanding officer of a tank unit south of Fuka the correspondent heard how the shambles on the road behind had come about. Tho officer told him: “During the afternoon of November 4 I was ordered to take a brigade and find the southern flank of tho enemy. We moved out into more open country during the . night. We halted for a period at the first light. I continued the march and about 10 a.m. we found large columns of the enemy streaming westwards down the main road. This was quickly blocked by two of the regiments and a number of enemy tanks, guns and vehicles wero destroyed and over 1000 prisoners taken.”

The Italian equipment destroyed or captured with the six divisions includes 300 field medium guns, 500 anti-tank guns, and 100 antiaircraft guns. Allied heavy and medium bombers continue their non-stop battering of the retreating enemy. Massed Axis transport, including tanks, has been heavily pounded. The crews of our aircraft are particularly enthusiastic about last night’s work. They reported tremendous damage.