Evening star., 1942-09-02
StoIingrod Fights Off Tanks;
British, U. S. Forces Locked
In Battle With Nozi Ponzers
American Planes Hit
Foe on Whole Line
With Hail of Bombs
1s the Associated Press,

WIN IlOIt VI OUIIlOS
1s the Associated Press.
CAIRO, Sept. 2.-British forces
were locked heavily in battle
with Axis armor all day yester-
day in the southern sector of the
Egyptian front, British head
quarters announced today.
The war bulletin. issued jointly
by the headquarters and the Raj
said United States Army Air Force
planes participated in extensive air
operations over the entire area in
which an Allied battle line was
braced against the expected shock
of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's S
powerful tank forces, again trying to
grind forward toward Alexandria, the
Nile and the Suez Canal.
The readiness of the Allies to meet
Marshal Rommel's challenge was
Indicated by the communicates re-
port that British forces made their
own sally Monday night on the
northern flank of the Ell Alamein
line and brought back batch of
German prisoners.
Swirling Sand Beclouds Battle.
Ground action yesterday centered
between the Ruweisat Ridge in the
center and Ell Himeimat, on the
southern wing near the Qattara De-
preston, the bulletin added.
Despite swirling sand beclouding
the battle zone, it said, the Allies
air coverage was on a large scale
and the hail of bombs which fell on
the enemy was both intensive and
accurate"
"At least two large Stuka forma-
tions were attacked by our fighters
and the enemy was on many occa-
sions forced to jettison his bombs, I"
the bulletin said
During the day at least six enemy
bombers and five fighters were de-
stroyed in these operations.
More than dozen were dam
aged. Our long-range fighters sue
cessfully attacked enemy motor
transport on the coastal road be-
tween Gambut and Sidi Barrani"
Marshal Rommel had concen-
trated the German armor in the
south and penetrated the low desert
land between the Ell Ruweisat ridge
In the north center and the 600-foot
height of Ell Himeimat to the south
near the Quattara Depression.
The direction of battle still was
Unclear but it appeared that the
German tactician hoped to out
flank the British along the Ell
Ruweisat ridge which roughly paral-
lels the Mediterranean at right
angle to the El Alamein line.
The main battle is now engaged in
this valley" which is studded with
British mines.
The opposing forces tend to face
each other north and south rather
than east and west, though Marshal
Rommel's spearhead had made some
progress directly to the east.
This eastward thrust has not yet
reached alarming proportions.
Dust Storms Over Desert.
Dust storms, made danser by the
tanks and vehicles churning on the
loose desert sands, blew SpaSmodl-
cally over the battlefield and ham,
pered Allied air support. which
nevertheless was strong from dawn
to dusk.
The United States Air Force once
more played an important part
aiongside British and South African
squadrons.
BY midday yesterday seven sep
arate bomber formations with large
fighter escorts had scored important
successes against the attacking
enemy.
At various times nearly all the
Allied formations were attacked by
Axis interceptors, but American
fighters effectively protected the
bombers. The enemy was using very
large formations of Stuka dive
bombers escorted by Messerschmitt-
zoos.
Rommel Uses 500 800 Tanks.
Backing up his assault on the Brit
ish lines near Ell Himeimat with an
estimated 500 to 600 tanks, Marshal
Rommel probed the Allied positions
initially for soft spot which might
open a road to the Nile.
One of his spearheads was report
ed to have advanced miles through
the dangerous Allied mine fields ano
one of the worst duststorms of the
war.
The main column OF Nazi tank.
turned north after striking eastward
near FL Himeimat and a smaller
column branched off to the south
reports from the front said.
1t. Gen. B. l.. Montgomery, new
commander of the 9th Army, ap'
parently was holding back his mair
tank force, which some observer
said, probably outnumbered that o
Marshal Rommel But Allied gun
blasted away at the Axis tanks ant
from the air, American, South AT
rican and British flyers houndet
them despite the dust and bat
weather.