Evening star., 1942-07-11
Aerial Dogfiehts
Raging; Enemy
Reinforced
fy the Associated Press.

CAIRO, Egypt, July ll.-Allled
airmen thundered into action to-
day with the mightiest air as
sault ever witnessed in the desert
in support of British ground
forces which advanced S miles on
the northern sector of the Ell
Alamein front yesterday.
A greatly strengthened enemy air
force rose to challenge the violent
Allied assault and dogfights ragged
high above a huge expanse of desert.
The Axis force appeared to be
drawing mainly on the Italians for
cir reinforcements, losing many OF
them.
British Gen. Sir Claude Auchin-
leck reopened the savage desert
fighting yesterday, with the drive
which bent back the Axis lines on
the north.
Prisoners Captured.
A number of prisoners were cap
tured in the British thrust, Whlch
began before dawn and casualties
were inflicted on the enemy, the
communique said. 1t also spoke OF
damage wrought, referring presum-
ably to Axis motorized equipment.
The British thrust was accom-
panied by an Axis advance eastward
in the southern sector Of the front
and British mobile columns engaged
this force.
CThe Italian high command
claimed Axis forces have pushed
back the British 9th Army's
left flank above the Qattara De-
preston by a surprise attack and
stopped strong British thrusts in
the central and coastal regions
near Ell AlameinD
British Advance Along Railway.
The Smile British advance was
made along the railroad line leading
westward from El Alamein.
While the British and German
forces clashed in both the northern
and southern sectors of the Ell Ala
mein front, Raj fighter planes
moved overhead to attack Axis gun
emplacements.
Large forces of enemy bombers
escorted by fighters were engaged IN
battle by these RAF planes and at
least eight Axis fighters were shot
down, the communique said. Many
others were damaged.
In addition, two Axis aircraft
were destroyed on a landing field
at Ell Daba, 35 miles west of Ell Ala
mein, it was reported.
Axis aircraft were very active
over Malta again yesterday, the
joint RAF-General Headquarters
communique said, and RAF fighters
shot down 10 enemy planes.
13 Aircraft Missing.
From all the operations in the
desert fighting and over Malta, Brit
ish Mediterranean base, 13 British
aircraft were reported missing.
The renewal of fighting came
after 10 days of comparative quiet
and there were many indications
that the fate of Egypt was in the
balance, with each army seeking to
strike a mortal blow.
The action started a few hours
after Field Marshal Erwin Rommel
shortened and reformed his lines by
withdrawing his right wing farther
northward toward the Mediterra-
mean under pressure of British mo-
bile units.
Although United States and Brit
ish bombers have Whitfield unceas-
ingly a1 Rommels transport and rear
communication lines in the last
week the size of his concentrations
in the front area and in the lmme-
diate rear indicated the fighting
probably would be bitter and pro-
longed.
That the German commander mas
fresh supplies for the struggle was a
certainty, for British reports have
told of Axis conveys moving across
the Mediterranean toward Lloya
Some of these supply ships nave
been sunk by British submarines ano
others have been attacked by United
States Army bombers.
Reinforce Own Armies.
Most of the British activity IN tht
last week has been pointed toWare
reinforcing and supplying their oWr
forces in the desert and cutting OF
supplies destined for the Axis army
Yesterday British fighter-bomoer
came on a concentration OF some
1000 Axis vehicles in the desert ane
knocked out 400 or 500 OF them
Fiftv-five more vehicles were re
ported destroyed in another RAJ
action.
The most constant Axis attack
on Malta were linked by observer
with the impending reckoning II
the desert.
There was nothing to indicate
however, that the advantage OF al
power in North Africa which tn
British have held throughout mos
of Rommels determined thrust to
ward the Nile had changed. The AL
lied ground forces also have beel
reinforced considerably with troop
and materiel.