Veteran Troops Take Up Fight Again

Manawatu Times, Volume 67, Issue 255, 28 October 1942, Page 5

Veteran Troops Take Up Fight Again

RUGBY, Oct. 20. Tho French forces, with the Eighth Army are the largest yet to participate in Allied operations in the Western Desert. They are commanded by General de Larmlnat. Units under General Koenig, the defender of Bir Hakeim, have already engaged the enemy in one sector in the present advance. General Koenig's men, who suffered severe losses at Bir Hakeim, have since been reinforceu. Marines, composed mainly of Bretons, Parisians and Foreign Legionaries, form the backbone of General Koenig’s force.

Among the troops attacking in Egypt are the 44th (Home Counties) Division, which is a comparatively recent arrival in the desert, though it took a prominent part in the defeat of the Axis offensive in Sepember. It formed part of the Third Corps in Flanders in 1940. The 60th (Northumbria) Division also served in France, where it made a counter-attack at Arras. Its skilful withdrawal from the Gazala position earlier is also recalled. The 61st (Highland) Division was in Lorraine with the French and then transferred northwards when the Germans attacked, but only a few thousand got away ■when the division was trapped at St. Valery. The division has now been reconstituted and this is the first mention of its appearance in the Middle East. The Fourth Indian Division has already covered itself with glory from the days of the first Libyan offensive. The First South African Division fought in Somaliland, Ethiopia and the Libyan offensive last November.