Evening star., 1942-10-26

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destroyed enemy tanks in skirmishes
yesterday. Some British tanks were
destroyed crossing the Axis mine
fields, where German and italian
artillery were laying down heavy
fire.
Allied air strength was said to
have outnumbered Axis planes over
the battle zone by five to one at the
outset of the offensive. During a
cold rain Saturday night the Ger
mans sent over heavy bombers flown
from Crete in an attempt to counter
the Allied bombirgs.
A communique from British head
quarters this morning placed heavy
emphasis on the aerial blows being
delivered against the enemy and
declared that Marshal Rommeps
attempts to close the gaps in his
lines had failed.
Enemy Attacks Repulsed.
"The enemy was unable to dis
close our troops from the areas
already gained" the bulletin said
laconically.
(The German high command
said the heaviest losses were
inflicted on the enemy during a
successful defense against the
British large-scale attack" One
hundred four British tanks were
declared destroyed.
(The Italians said British
attempt to land sea-borne troops
behind the Axis lines had failed
and declared all Allied frontal
assaults had been repulsed with
heavy losses.)
Axis air activity increased some
what yesterday as Rommel's flyers
sought to ward off the terrific bonn
$ bardment to which his ground
troops were being subjected, but
Allied pilots had a successful day,
shooting down seven enemy planes
and damaging many more, head
quarters declared. An Axis supply
ship also was reported bombed and
sunk in Tobruk harbor.
Minor Clashes Reported.
The communique mentioned only
minor clashes between armored
units, bearing out dispatches from
the front indicating that the main
armored strength of the opposing
armies was not yet engaged.
Marshal Rommel's armored for
nations, however, were said to be
moving up to meet the advancing
British forces, and it was these
units on which the full fury of the
Allied aerial assaults was concen-
trated.
American and British bombers,
flying in relays, dumped tons upon
tons of explosives on the massing
Axis armored division from dawn to
dusk yesterday, attempting to scat
ter and destroy them before they
could join the battle.
The attacks were pressed home
from low levels with strong fighter
protection and were almost unop-
posed, British headquarters said.
Official quarters gave few details |
yesterday on the progress of the
land fighting, limiting themselves
to the announcement that the enc !
my's main positions had been pene-
trated at some points, but there was
evidence of quiet confidence in the
outcome
Plans Well Laid.
1t. Gen. B. L. Montgomery, COM
mander of the 9th Army, said
plans for the offensive had been
well laid and that its objective was
to destroy Rommel and his army"
British and Allied troops fighting
in front are first-class soldiers and
I am determined they will have
success" he said.
While the full strength of the
forces massed by the Allies re-
mained military secret, it was
generally believed that they held
superiority in men, tanks, guns and
planes.
According to best estimates, Mar
shal Rommel has about 125,OOO men
at his disposal. These include two
German armored divisions, two Ital-
Ian armored divisions-the Trento |
and Folgoia; a German motorized
division; partially motorized Ger !
man infantry division, and at least
six Italian infantry divisions.
The Allied ground forces involved
IN the opening phase of the battle
were known to include Australians
and New Zealanders the 1st South |
African Division, the 4th Indian
Division, the 44th Home Counties
Division, TIE 50th Northumbrian
Division, the 5lst Highlands Division
and units composed of Fighting
French and Greeks.
No U. S. Ground Forces Engaged.
No American ground forces we're
engaged in the initial operations, but
the United States Army Air Forces
have been playing a major role.
A communique issued by United
States Army headquarters yester-
day said fighters, fighter bombers
and medium bombers of the desert |
air task force had made continuous
and repeated attacks on enemy
positions, gun emplacements and
motor vehicles.
Many direct hits were observed
on gun emplacements and motor
vehicles and many fires were start
ed the communique added.
Despite the extent of the Allied
aerial operations yesterday only -
planes were reported lost, and the
crews of some of these were saved. !
One Axis plane was downed-a dis
parity in losses apparently accounted
for by the fact that few enemy
aircraft dared take the ai1.