Evening star., 1942-07-08
RommeI Hurried
By Petrol Stubs,
Cairo Reports
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
CAIRO, July g. Intensive
British air blows and marrying
patrol stabs against the Axis
forces, both aimed at wearing
down the enemy's power in the
still-undecided battle at the
threshold of the Nile, were re-
ported by the British today.
Still, however, there were no
major attacks on either side and
both forces evidently were stabbing
to test out the opposition and saw
ing their heavy punches for a de-
cisive battle that might be joined
at any time.
A British headquarters bulletin
said patrols operating near the
coastal end OF the line destroyed
some Axis tanks yesterday and took
a few prisoners, while the Raj
again pounded Tobruk and started
violent explosions and fires" with
direct hits on enemy machines, gun
nests and oil stores in the battle
area.
Against three enemy planes
downed on the North African front
and nine more over Malta, the Brit
ish said they lost eight. but that six
of their pilots were saved.
Egypt Readies Defenses.
Behind the lines, the Egyptian
government put it's military and
civil defenses in readiness for any
emergency.
Both desert armies were estab-
lished firmly on their corridor lines
between the Mediterranean and
Qattara depression in the Ell Ala
mein area, both closely concealing
when or how they would try to
break the stalemated situation.
In the past 48 hours the Germans
have withdrawn from the southern
end of their line, in effect turning
a corner at the inland anchor and
establishing a sidewa1.
The British regarded this as a
security measure against a flank
attack, but there was no indication
whether it was because Nazi Field
Marshal Erwin Rommel was or
ganizing a new attempt to burst the
bottleneck or because he had
strength left only to hold on.
Stockholm newspaper dis
patches from Berlin indicated
uneasiness in the Nazi capital
over Marshal Rommels position.
One correspondent reported he
was in difiiculty because his ex-
hausted troops faced British
Gen. Sir Claude J. E. Auchin-
leck's fresh reinforcements
Heavy Axis attacks on Malta
were taken by the British in
London to mean that conveys
were hurrying reinforcements
across the Mediterranean to
Marshal Rommel. Evidence of
the weight of enemy efforts to
eliminate that British isle as
threat to Marshal Rommels sup
ply route from Europe was
Maltas report last night that "a
raiders had been shot down there
in "A hours)
Artillery Fire Kept Up.
Along the whole 50-mile front
stretching 20 miles south from the
El Alamein region and then turn
ing westward 30 miles to the region
south of Ell Daba, both sides kept
up artillery fire.
There was little other ground
activity except for flying British
tank columns harrying the Ger
mans.
Among emergency measures intro
duced at a secret meeting of the
Egyptian Parliament July was
an immediate credit Of 100000
Egyptian pounds, of which one
fourth was earmarked for the army.
(The Egyptian pound nominally is
worth about $4.10D
Anti-air raid precautions were
ordered strengthened and another
emergency measure required physi-
clans, nurses, pharmacists and pub
lie utility workers to stand by their
jobs in any eventuality.
Two sweetless days, on which no
candy or pastry will be made, were
added to the three meatless days
weekly in a further restriction of
unnecessary consumption"