Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-10-27
The War
!, Today
fN.,. /.
Ron1met Stirs :
Doubt on Fame
AS Strotegist
BY MAJ. PAUL C. RABoRG

BY MAJ. PAUL c. RABoRG
written Espsti.Hy fer International News
Service and Detroit Times
IAN BEGINNING to doubt
the ability of Marshal ROM
mel, both as a strategist and
as a fighter.
First. he is pictured as an
intimate friend of Adolf Hit
ler's, and a believer that the
fuehrer Is a superman.
Second. it Is generally con-
coded by strategists h at
Rommel made a great error,
when his recent drive into
Egypt was stopped at FL Ala
mein, In that he remained in
this extremely extended posi-
ton with a very narrow front,
not more than 40 miles, which
was exposed in depth to Allied
superiority on the sea and in
the air.
It seems to me. had he been
the outstanding strategist as
reported. that he would have
Immediately retired into Libya
where he could block to better
advantage any attempted
United Nations advance.
ALL OF THE recent far
flung deep British raids by
desert and sea commando
units seem to indicate that the
United Nations have been pre-
pairing, at the correct time, to
strike or harass Rommel's
forces from the rear.
IL has been authoritativeiy
stated that British patrols
have worked to within 100 or
200 miles Of Tripoli itself. We
are told that desert commando
units consisting of fast motor
lied and mechanical materiel
have been trained to cut loose
entirely from their base and
reach out to amazing dis
tances In the desert behind
the Axis lines.
I have recently talked at
considerable length to a Major
Singh or the Indian army, a
native, who Is an officer Of the
Second Royal Bengal Lancers.
This regiment has a great
fighting reputation In the re-
cent Egyptian Libyan cam
paigns.
] also had the pleasure Of
discussing the Egyptian situa-
ton at length with Flight
Lieutenant Wade of the Royal
Air Force. He likewise had
been In the United States only
q short time from Egypt.
Lieutenant Wade Is one Of
only five or six Americans, a
native of Texas, who has re-
manned In the Royal Air Force.
In Egypt for almost a year he
has commanded a fighter air
squadron. Both he and the
major were strong in their
opinions that Rommel had
committed a strategic error
by remaining in the FL Ala
mein front, and that this mis-
take In strategy could In the
immediate future easily be the
cause Of his decisive defeat.
BOTH THESE officers felt
certain that the United Ma
lions are very slowly but
surely gaining air superiority
In the Middle East. OF course
this should not be taken too
seriously for, when the Nazi
fighting In Russia ceases to be
active due to winter, the
fuehrer may shift tremendous
air armadas to the Middle
East area and in particular
Northern Africa.
Both the Middle East and
the Pacific are climatically
best for fighting during win
ter months. Therefore, with
the die-down of hostilities in
Russia we may probably look
for q step-up Of battle inten-
sity In these two other areas.
But In spite of this I am
convinced the United Nations
have passed over the most
difficult hump Of the war, and
that from now on we will see
them In more and more sue
cessful offensive action. But in
no sense minimize the serious
ness Of the awful struggle that
In Gffll facing The dennnnra niaa