Evening star., 1942-11-05
British Chase Fleeing Axis Forces
In E gypt1 Allies Press Air Attack;
Losses Severe Italians Concede
Rommel's Planes
Kept Strictly Fl
On Defensive


On Defensive
R
~ the Associated Press.
CAIRO, Nov. 5.-Weakened by
the loss of thousands of men cap
tured, killed, wounded or isolated
In their desert strong points, q
once-proud Axis army was in full
flight today across Western
Egypt in a frantic hunt for posi-
ton to avert destruction.
Only q rearward moving screen
of anti-tank guns and tanks shield
ed the bulk of Marshal Erwin Rom
mel's African Corps from the press
ing advance of a United Nations
army-the 9Th British-while a
comparatively impotent air force
sought to parry the combined blows
of American and British imperial
airmen.
Allied Planes Keep Up Attack.
While 5000 prisoners (by a count
already "A hours ODD streamed
dejectedly to the British rear, the
Allied air forces kept hitting at the
foe, and the main coastal line OF
retreat was described as veritable
graveyard Of smoking, twisted tanks,
armored cars and trucks.
(The Axis, with Rome acknowl-
edging severe losses, said Italian
and German armies had with
drawn to new lines in the West.
The Germans denied their front
had been preached.
(The Italian communique, how
ever, indicated the depth of the
9Th Army's drive-at least Its
tank spearheads-when 1t told OF
@ferce and bloody fighting" by
tank and infantry forces of both
sides between Ell Alamein and
F'uka.
(Fuka is about 10 miles to the
west of Ell Alamein. The British
have not announced their pres
ent positions0
No Large Axis Reserves.
It was believed that Rommel has
no large reserves behind him, either
In Western Egypt or Libya. Most
military observers among the Brit
ish held that his full force had been
marshaled on the now crumbled Ell
Alamein line where Rommel had
pushed nearly to Alexandria and the
Nile. -r s.
(Reuters, British news agency
reported from Cairo that some
Of the Axis advance posts in the
western desert were found un-
manned in the first lunge OF the
9Th Army, indicating the ohen-
sive caught the Axis forces by
surprise.
(There also were reports that
Rommel himself was not on the
lob at the time and authoritative
sources said he might not have
arrived there until after the Of
fensive started on october %.
Gle had been in Berlin for con-
sultation with Hitler and was
present in the Sportspalast when
the Fuehrerf on September 30
pledged that Stalingrad would be
captured. The German press re-,
ported that Rommel left Berlin
on October 15)
Few Positions Hold Out.
The sudden collapse OF the Axis
defenses was announced last night IN
q British communique after IL days
Of furious fighting in which the Allies
were said to have taken tremendous
toll of Rommers men and equip
ment.
Today,s communique told of a con-
tinuing British advance on all Sec
tors of the front, with enemy tanks
and anti-tank guns attempting to
fieht a rearguard action along the
coastal road in the north-the main
avenue of retreat.
At the southern end of the narrow
front, Axis forces were reported still
holding out in few isolated posi-
tions. but it appeared that the Brit
ish were by-passing these in their
general advance.
Allied planes kept the retreating
Axis forces under heavy attack and
the dwindling air force at Rommel S
command was kept strictly on the
defensive. Except for one dive
bombing attack. which was quickly
broken up by Allied fighters, the
British ground forces were un-
molested from the air.
? Axis Supply Lines Blasted.
Intent on keeping reinforcements
from reaching Rommel, Allied
bombers and torpedo carrying planes
also blasted at his overseas supply
lines, damaging tanker and a
heavily laden merchant vessel and
scoring three hits on escorting
destroyers, the communiQue said.
=. The British reported the destruc-
ton of 13 Axis aircraft yesterday
and acknowledged the loss OF IA
Allied planes, but the Allied losses
were relatively small in proportion
(Continued on Page Alb, Column ID
=