Evening star., 1942-04-04
Better Anti.Tank Gun,
Make Great Chances
In Desert Warfare
AIdridee Sees Material
As Big Factor in Nozis'
Middle Eust Drive
BY JAMES ALDRIDGE,
Correspondent OF The Star and North
American Newspaper Alliance.

CA1IO, ESypC, April IA Ger
man push probably is coming in the
Middle East and speculation about
it is as thick as dust here. This
observers view Is that the real issue
Is not when and where the push
is coming but what material and
what methods the Germans will use
This is important because recent
engagements in the Libyan desert
have revolutionized the use of the
principal type of weapon, the tank
In the tank warfare of the last
10 months, tanks have changed be-
yond recognition. They can't get
enough armor and armament. AS
one side improves its tanks, the
other side tries to outdo it, but each
favors its own basic weapon.
The Germans choice is a heavy
well-armored tank mounting a
heavy gun and relying on one shot
TO stop an adversary. The British
favor lighter armor and greater
speed and rely on a lighter, quick
firing gun, from which they must
get several shots home to be effec-
tive. The Germans assert that gun
fire from moving tanks is ineffec-
tive, but the British disagree.
Becoming Ferry Service.
Tanks are losing their personality
Their chief function used to be to
knock out other tanks. Now they
are becoming a ferry service for
infantry and anti-tank guns. This
Is revolutionary development. The
tanks go into battle with infantry
and anti-tank guns. Behind the
infantry come tanks with their own
supporting anti-tank guns, which
are greater menace than the tanks
themselves as the latest types are
extraordinarily effective. Libya
proved this is the coming weapon. II
is no longed defensive but offensive
The new anti-tank gun has an
astonishing future and may COM
pletely neutralize the tank. Analysis
OF the Libyan offensives show both
sides lost more tanks as a result of
hits by anti-tank guns than were
knocked out by other tanks. Anti
tank fire from stationary position
Is far more accurate and effective
than fire from moving tanks.
Both sides have developed new
anti-tank weapons of revolutionary
design. The Germans gun has a
tapered barrel permitting concen-
tration OF force, resulting in great
muzzle velocity and striking power.
The projectile is so heavy that it
does not need outstanding explo-
sive qualities and has tremendous
penetrating power for long ranges.
The British have developed their
own types, the effectiveness of which
cannot be discussed in detail, but
the development is toward lightly
arnored, powerful weapons operated
by small crews. These can out
gun fivefold their number and are
cheap and easy to produce.
Artillery Also Changing.
Included in the anti-tank develop
ment is field artillery. I spoke today
with field artilleryman just back
from the desert. He said that in
his last action they used open sights
on field artillery and split the enemy
tanks clean. At least to some extent
artillery is also losing its personality
In mobile warfare light and medium
artillery is seldom used for any,
thing but defense against tanks.
Thus, while specific anti-tank gun
Is developing into an offensive
weapon, field artillery is becoming
a defensive weapon for use primarily
against tanks.
But for either artillery or anti
tank guns to be effective they must
have adequate infantry protection,
because they are now used in close
operations, in thick battles. Because
of this development it has never
been more important to equip in
fantrymen with light automatic
arms.
Desert rifllemen believe the Jap
anese have the right idea with .22-
caliber machine pistols. This weapon
enables each man to be self-suffi-
cient for long periods because the
ammunition is so small and light
that large quantities can be carried
by one man. It's effectiveness is
equal to the submachine gun and
It is not as heavy.
All-Purpose Planes Sought.
Similarly, aircraft are changing.
Both the British Army and the r.
A. F. are speaking hopefully OF an
all-purpose machine. This is a
plane fast enough to fight and heavy
enough for medium and long range
bombing. Such plane would be
perfect "battleplane" if it could be
produced in large quantities and
sufficiently flexible to permit con-
tinuous superiority in bombing and
fighting strength. To this must be
added necessary cannon and low
flying characteristics permitting the
destruction of tanks.
The Germans have an all-service
plane in the Messerschmitt ITO and
the British in the Beaufort. The
Germans, after their Russian lesson,
are concentrating on tank-destroy-
ing aircraft. A few Messerschmitt
109's recently have appeared in the
desert for special use against tanks.
This is probably Germany's surprise
weapon in the coming offensive.
The coming test for all these
transitions in arms and tactics will
be disastrous for the army which has
not made sufficiently revolutionary
changes. With anti-tank guns sud-
denly looming as a key weapon,
whole armies may be moved in the
best interests of these guns-tanks,
infantry, artillery and aircraft will
be moved in their support and the
fiercest battles will be fought around
them and above them.