Earlier Reports of Fighting

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

Earlier Reports of Fighting

LONDON, Oct. 27. In the fourth day of the battle in the Western Desert the Eighth Army conlolidated its early gains and threw back enemy counter-attacks, the Associated Press' Cairo correspondent says. BomEarl’s main positions have been penetrated at some points, Out so far there has been no report ot the main, forces meeting.

The Eighth Army appears to be moving deliberately and cautiously, while consolidating each gain before driving on to the next objective. The enemy put up a still resistance, and at some points there has been hand-to-hand fighting in the infantry nignt advances. Reuter's correspondent reports that the enemy launched unsuccessful counterattacks which were suitably dealt with by the Allied air force, which is maintaining its terrific pressure. The action along the whole front is being characterised by. big guns on our side, says the British United Press. "While along some sections of the front the Allies' gains are being consolidated, operations elsewhere are aimed at destroying enemy pockets left behind during the initial advance. Hard Task Ahead. There is no concealing the fact that a hard task faces the Eighth Army in battering down the concentrated enemy forces. Thus, even the slightest gams of ground are important over terrain where for the past four months the enemy has been digging in behind a protective screen of minefields with considerable defences in depth. The Italian and German air forces are more active over the forward positions. The Luftwaffe’s heaviest attack of the battle was a dusk raid on Sunday against the British front line. The Axis planes encountered intense ground-fire and Allied night-fighters, quickly and effectively on the job drove off the Stukas.