Evening star., 1942-08-03
Armed German N. P.s
Forced Egypt Attacks,
hazi Prisoner SAYS
Asserts RommeI Ordered
EI AIomein Positions
Token at Any Cost
By JOHN A. HETHERINGTON,

BY JOHN A. HETHERINGTON,
war Correspondent of The Star and North
American Newspaper Alliance.
WITH THE 9th ARMY IN THE
WESTERN DESERT, Egypt, Aug
3.-When German infantrymen try
ing to break through the 9th Army S
line around Ell Alamein retreated
under heavy shell fire they were
halted and driven back into battle
by German military police with
drawn revolvers.
THE police held pistols against
our breasts and told us to get back, >"
a German prisoner belonging to the
l04th Light Infantry regiment told
his British captors That was the
most terrible moment in success
SION of terrible days." the prisoner
said.
Statements from Germans cap
tured in recent fighting leave no
room for doubt that Field Marshal
Erwin Rommel made titanic ef-
fort to shatter the Ell Alamein line
between July 13 and TO- Enemy
troops, chiefly German, launched
as many as three attacks a day.
They reeled back each time under
shell fire which one prisoner de-
scribed as inhuman.
Continuous Attacks Ordered.
Captured Germans told their
enards that Marshal Rommel, after
the failure of the attacks on July
13 and IA. sent out an order that
the Ell Alamein positions must be
taken 'if it has to be attacked for
IA days"
The Germans all agree that the
accuracy and weight of British gun
fire were the determining factors in
breaking their repeated thrusts.
They particularly fear the 25-pound-
ers which they call "tzigane GYPSY
gums because like gypsys they al
ways appear in different places.
II am told that your troops do not
like the Stukas," one young German
said. "Well we feel the same way
Gbout the 25-pounders."
German prisoners captured re-
Gently have been much more talk
alive than Germans captured during
the winter campaign. Then they
would maintain stubborn silence
when asked their names or even II
they we're hungry and wanted food.
Germans coming In now, especially
men hurried across the Mediter-
ranean for the march into the Nile
fol, &c AnfArrAH
none Of the surly aloofness Of the
original Afrika Korps. They talk
very freely.
Fight to Death in Russia.
s"We do not expect to be taken
prisoner in Russia" young officer
Who had fought on the Russian front
told q British officer. If you are
fighting a war of ideals there Is no
point In going on living once you
have been captured because cap
tivity means you are cut off from
the spiritual background which
makes life worth living. The Rus
slams see the question from the
same standpoint. Therefore both
they and we prefer to fight to the
Death"
"A man with three or four days
efowth Of beard walked up to a
party Of British troops few days
ago. It was only when he was
within few yards of them that
they identified his dust-caked uni
form as German. He was a sergeant
pilot Of the Luftwaffe who had
dfash-landed his plane after battle
With q Royal Air Force fighter 40
miles behind the British lines. The
Tommies covered him with rifles
but he said in an American accent
without a trace Of his German
origin:
s"It's all right, fellows. I walked
bAck 10 miles but am too thirsty
70 60 any farther"
He was graduate of the Uni
vsrsity Of California and had
worked in the United States as
mining engineer. He returned to
Germany in December, 1910, for
patriotic reasons" He was con-
fldent about the outcome of the
war and said, 1--WE are not going
to attempt to conquer all of Russia"
Goals Are Listed.
I'VE are going to take Stalingrad,
Moscow and Leningrad," he said,
then come down through the Cau-
easus and take Iraq. Iran and prob
ably Egypt. Then we will offer you
peace"
Don't you think Russia and
Britain will have something to say
about that?" a British soldier asked.
The German smiled, shrugged and
replied. Maybe"
Another German prisoner told
British officer: Our worries are
over now. We have got oil in
Burma and rubber in Malaga"
HAS Germany got Burma and
Malaga" asked the officer, II
thought Japan had?"
Japan will give us what we
want" said the German. IF not,
We will have to fight Japan, too
Germany and Japan are only allies
by force Of circumstances