RETREAT MAY BECOME ROUT

Southland Times, Issue 24894, 6 November 1942, Page 5

RETREAT MAY BECOME ROUT

POSSIBLE STAND AT MATRUH (Rec. 10.50 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 5. Allied airmen report that FieldMarshal Rommel’s retreat has already become a rout. The Daily Telegraph’s military correspondent says Field-Marshal Rommel is unlikely to attempt a serious stand before reaching Mersa Matruh, where he might be able to establish an improvised line. Otherwise, he has no other defence line eastward of the Libyan frontier. Field-Marshal Rommel’s tank losses represent nearly half the entire Axis tank strength. According to the Cairo correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain the coastal pocket has now been completely over-run. Reports received in Istanbul from Greece state that the Germans are rushing four divisions from the Russian front to Field-Marshal Rommel. Four train-loads traversed Athens tins morning. The newspapers in London acclaim the great news from Egypt. The Daily Telegraph says: “More swiftly than the highest expectations hoped for a great victory has been won. The campaign is not yet over, but already we can say that we are marching on to a decision.” “Here is a second front Hitler can no longer ignore,” says The Daily Mail. “He doubtless will strain every nerve to retrieve

Field-Marshal Rommel’s desperately dangerous situation, but he can only do so by withdrawals from other fronts. That in itself would be a major victory for the Allies, not the least Russia,” The Daily Herald says: “The public will not under-estimate the difficulties that may lie ahead. We have learned to respect Field-Marshal Rommel’s skill. His tactics will now be to find a corner in which he can turn and face us.” SHIPS GIVEN TO GERMANY VICHY GOVERNMENT’S ACTION (8.0.W.) RUGBY, November 4. The Axis position in the Mediterranean has become very serious. Germany and Italy have lost about half their merchant tonnage there and it is clear that with the new developments in Egypt more ships must be secured to supply Field-Marshal Rommel with food and munitions, says a statement by the British Ministry of Economic Warfare, concerning the transfer of ships to Germany by the Vichy Government.

The statement says that 35 Allied merchant vessels in the Mediterranean have been allocated to Germany and Italy by the Vichy Government, 13 for Germany and the remainder for Italy. This, the Ministry considers, throws light on the present difficulties of German transport, which had much to do with the lateness of the German offensive this year. The tonnage involved is about 1,200,000. Of the ships involved Italy gets foui' tankers. So far only three of these ships have been actually sent and they have reached Genoa. These ships have been frozen in French ports since the downfall of France and include Danish, Dutch, Norwegian and Russian vessels. Three were under British charter. Informed quarters say that the vessels were regarded by the enemy as reserves to be called upon in an emergency. Vichy has evidently given them up under heavy pressure. The total tonnage involved, it is remarked, represents about one-fifth of the tonnage Germany has lost since the outbreak of the war until June last and it is thought probable that the Axis ships lost since June represent a tonnage roughly equal to that which they have acquired by the new transaction. KING’S PRIDE IN ARMY Congratulatory Message (8.0.W.) RUGBY, November 4. The King has sent the following message to General Sir Harold Alexander: “The Bth Army, magnificently supported by the Royal Air Force and units of the Royal Navy, has dealt the Axis a blow of which the importance cannot be exaggerated. For the last fortnight we have all been following with anxious interests the progress of the hard-fought battle and I can assure all three services, embracing as do the many representatives of the British Commonwealth and our Allies, of the admiration and pride of the whole Empire in their brilliant victory. “In the name of your fellow-coun-trymen all the world over I express to you, to Air Marshal Tedder, to Lieu-tenant-General Montgomery, to Air Vice-Marshal Coningham and to the commanders and all ranks of the three services my thanks for the far-reach-ing success which by your untiring co-operation you have so decisively achieved.”