Evening star., 1942-10-25

American establishments for the
repair and servicing of war ma
chimes, and mountains of Ameri-
can-made war material that have
been accumulated in past weeks.
In the arena were quantities of
new tanks and guns.
1t was believed that Gen. Alex
ander was satisfied that he had
won the battle of supplies in the
weeks since September l or he
would not have started an offensive
at this time.
This battle Of supplies preceding
the 9th Army's smash reached rec
ord proportions for the Mediter-
ranean. The Allied air fleet pounded
supply lines with unprecedented
force, Allied submarines took the
heaviest toll to date of Axis supply
ships, and the Italians and Ger
mans made one of their largest and
most sustained air attacks on Malta
in an effort to cover their convoys.
Axis Plane Losses Put at 1913.
British records showed the Axis
had lost 1913 planes thus far this
month in this warfare, compared
with British losses of IS and that
Allied submarines in the same time
had sunk at least 10 supply laden
ships, which Allied bombers and
torpedo planes accounted for many
more in assaults on sea trains and
bases in Sicily, Greece and Crete.
Gen. Alexander began the task
of dislodging the Axis about six
weeks ahead of the dates of the
1910 and 194l British offensives. In
the first, started on December 8,
1910, the British under Gen. Sir
Archibald P. Wavell drove from
Sidi Barrani near the border in
Egypt to beyond Bengasi. The
British lost all this ground the next
April when they Withdrew troops
and sent them to Greece.
In the second offensive. started
December 6, 1941, the British again
got beyond Bengasi, but in two
offensives in January and June of
this year, Marshal Rommel not
only recovered all this territory but
drove deep into Egypt as we'll
In the first week of September
however, the British gained an ad-
vantage when a third drive by
Marshal Rommel in an effort to
pierce the Ell Alamein positions
positions proved a costly failure.
The British now have 1000 miles
to go to reach Tripoli, 230 miles
to get to the Libyan border.
Axis Recognizes Importance.
The ll-Mediterranean nature of
the present struggle has been recog-
nized by the Germans, who are re-
ported to have made Marshal ROM
mel the generalisSimo of Italian and
German land, sea and air forces not
only in the present battle but also
Tor any campaign they may attempt
through Syria or the Middle East.
1t was clear that if the British
once cleared the southern shore of
the Mediterranean they would be in
a much better position to use that
shortened route for their conveys
not only to the Middle East but also
to Russian and Chinese supply lines
and India.
Although the battle was centered
in the narrow coastal corridor be-
tween the sea and the Qattara De-
preston, it was expected by OBJ
servers that it would soon spread as
the British have repeatedly sent
raiding expeditions deep into the
desert interior.
That the Germans were watchful
was indicated by a Fighting French
announcement of an air raid on
their positions in the Kufra Oasis,
500 miles south Of Tobruk and just
to the west of the Egyptian frontier
The French said little damage was
done and one of the raiders was shot
down.