Biggest Armoured Clash of Offensive

Manawatu Times, Volume 67, Issue 256, 29 October 1942, Page 5

Biggest Armoured Clash of Offensive

German forces Driven Off United Press Assn. —By Electric Telegraph,—Copyright. Received Thursday, 1 a.m. LONDON, October 28. The British Eighth Army has been engaged in the biggest battle of armour that has token place so far in the present offensive, Axis forces being driven off with considerable loss. This is the main news from Middle East Headquarters, the communique adding that our tank losses were light. Fighting continues. There had been no abatement in air attacks during the day and night of Monday and Tuesday. Received Wednesday, 7.55 p.m. LONDON, October 27. Since penetrating the enemy minefields, the Eighth Army has been engaged in hard and bitter fighting with the object of gaining elbow room within the enemy’s forward positions. The Allied forces gained ground at two points during Sunday night and Monday, the Italians and Germans frequently counter-attacking in an attempt to halt this nibbling process but being unable to mount powerful counter-blows because the Allies’ air force crews strongly intervene whenever sizeable enemy concentrations are sighted. Twice yesterday the air force broke up enemy formations before they were able to deploy. Little graphic detail can be added to this outline because war correspondents’ despatches are apparently held up by the censor. Only messages couched in the most general terms have been received in London. Only minor tank clashes are so far reported. The fighting is mainly between infantry with heavy artillery support. Reuter’s Cairo correspondent states that there has been much bitter hand-to-hand fighting involving the New Zealanders, Australians, South Africans and British troops. The 51st Highlanders have been in the thick of it. The Times’ correspondent with the Eighth Army says light bombers, medium bombers and fighters all day maintain an effective umbrella over the troops. Night fighters give similar protection at night. Certain squadrons are specially trained for this work. They sallied out on a really large scale for the first time on October 25 and followed up last evening when Stukas attempted to take advantage of falling dusk to launch a surprise blow against our forward positions. Night fighters last evening shot down three Stukas. Long-range fighters strafed enemy convoys south-east of Sidi -Barram where a number of petrol lorries were set on fire Axis sources admit the weight of the Allied offensive but claim they have the position in hand. J