FIERCE BATTLE OF TANKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24423, 5 November 1942, Page 3

FIERCE BATTLE OF TANKS

GATEWAY TO GREAT DESERT PLAIN By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received November -1, 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, November 4 1 he Allied forces have broken through the German line in Egypt at a point about seven miles south of the pocket where a group of Axis infantry is still trapped and about 1 6 miles west of El Alamein. The latest messages suggest that our troops are widening the bridgehead as our tanks and infantry expand their action. Ihe enemy has brought up his 15th and 21st tank divisions in an attempt to stem the onslaught, as he realises that the whole Afrika Korps is now menaced. According to one correspondent our tanks, following 24 hours of battle, are now fighting in the open and can deploy on a vast area which the British Command has selected. Another correspondent, however, says we do not yet possess freedom of tank movement, in spite of the fact that we have destroyed or otherwise put out of action a lot of enemy tanks and taken many prisoners. Fighting in and around Tel el Akakir is very fluid and still inconclusive. Nevertheless, says a further report, one thing is certain: British and Dominion troops have secured a bridgehead through the enemy's forward defences. Activity is not confined to this sector, but is going on along the whole front.

British heavy armoured brigades emerging from the bridgehead, which was established after nine days of fighting, were engaged all through Monday in a stand-up fight with two enemy panzer divisions, so far the biggest armoured clash since General Montgomery's drive started. The Germans had organised a triangular defence line on a section of the front along an old Roirmn road, and throughout Monday the big tanks were in action following the magnificent work of our infantry in forcing a large gap in the enemy line to enable our armoured forces to come up in strength. The sequence of actions leading to the break-through was as follows:—After a heavy artillery barrage on Friday night Australian troops pushed through and captured enemy advance posts in the coastal area. They finally cut off in a pocket a number of the enemy who, all day Saturday and on Saturday night attempted to regain their liberty. Axis tanks then went to their rescue. Throughout Sunday and again on Monday this force strove in vain to break out. Then, with a new blow, the Eighth Army broke through and reached the gateway to the great desert plain.