Evening star., 1942-07-21
Nazis Push Wall Of Tanks Troops
in Donets Basin Toward Rostov;
British Navy Blasts Matruh Again
More Than 50Axis
Planes Destroyed
In Raj Attacks
By the Associated Press.

oS LIT ASSOCldtSu ETcSs.
CAIRO, July 81. The third
and heaviest naval bombardment
of the Axis s-held port of Matruh
in three nights, and two aerial
assaults which destroyed more
than so Axis planes on the
ground in a single day were re-
ported by the British today, all
part of a determined campaign
to destroy the enemy's African
air force and ruin his reinforce
ment efforts.
Buildings. jetties. schooners and
other craft in harbor at Matruh-105
miles behind the German italian
lines-were hit by the naval shells
early Monday morning. Explosions
could be heard for miles.
Salvo after salvo covered the en-
tire harbor and the adjoining shore
in well-def1ned geometric pattern.
One small oil tanker was seen to
have been sunk, either in this bonn
bardment or in those on the two
previous nights, naval officers said.
Ell Daba, Fuka Raided.
British planes scored their smash
ing blows yesterday at Ell Daba and
Fuka, Is. and so miles respectively
behind the lines. The raids were
the second and third in two days.
Other long-range fighters blasted
Axis barges northeast of Sidi Bar
rani, 185 miles behind the lines.
Land opel ations on the Egyptian
front were confined to patrols while
the British concentrated on annihi-
lation of Field Marshal Erwin Rom
mel's air force.
A British communique said fires
were left cracking among the blast
ed Axis planes, 3 Of which were
ruined or badly damaged near Fuka.
An italian plane was reported
downed ana others damaged in dog
fights.
Ell Daba Raided Second Day.
From Alexandria came reports
that simultaneously British fighter
bombers swarmed down on the Nazi
air base at FL Daba for the second
successive day, dumping tons Of
bombs on the surprised concentra-
%t<,,,e II 9 mo- sTs 2
One pilot said he saw more than a
score of planes burst into flames.
British fighters followed up the
fighter-bombers by heavily strafdng
the field. All planes returned safely
from El Daba. 49,.
Raj medium bombers meanwhile
made night attacks on Axis planes,
tanks and trucks in the battlefront
area around Ell Alamein, causing
explosions and fires.
Over Malta one German Messer-
schmitt was shot down.
In all these air operations the
British announced they lost five
planes, but said two pilots were safe.
Battle Of Supplies On.
Meanwhile, a battle of supplies
second in importance only to a
showdown clash of arms-occupied
opposing British and Axis forces in
prelude to the next phase of the
battle of Egypt.
Three weeks after the Army of
the Nile took its stand at Ell Ala
mein, IS miles west of Alexandria,
the Raj, now joined by heavy
United States bombers, kept up an
almost nightly pounding of Nazi
Marshal RommePs Mediterranean
supply base at Tobruk.
This Libyan port became Marshal
Rommel's chief immediate port OF
entry for supplies following the
350-mile British retreat across North
Africa and since has been given a
thorough working over by Allied
bombers loosing tons of bombs.
-Four -motored United States
bombers teamed with the RAF in a
(See EGYPT, Page A-2)