South Yorkshire Times – Saturday 31 October 1942

A Start in Egypt

Climate, thoughtfully hinged to strategy no doubt, has given the Middle East precedence in the stirring to offensive action of the great forces of the United Nations.

The Eighth Army is on the move in Egypt, but this time the bid for the North African coast and control of the southern shores of the Mediterranean is hardly likely to be an isolated campaign, as were its two predecessors.

In this fourth year of the war we should be able to say that we have passed beyond the stage of campaigns of expediency. Though not yet at the peak of our powers we have at any rate exacted sufficient breathing space to prepare and perfect mighty and far-reaching strokes, the trenchancy of which we hope to see demonstrated within the turn of the year.

Field Marshal Smuts spoke last week of the offensive phase and General Alexander, addressing war correspondents on the eve of the latest Egyptian battle, significantly recalled the phrase. And so as the tanks rumble forward across the desert sands of Egypt we see perhaps the start of a great Allied counter-blow aimed at wresting the initiative from the Axis for good and all.

In Africa the Hunter’s Moon shone down on what may develop into the greatest hunt of all time. And as the seasons run their course the cumulative pressure of the hunt may well extend into more widespread theatres of war.

This deployment is likely to be as inspiring and encouraging to the enslaved peoples of Europe as it will be disconcerting to the Germans and their henchmen, despite all the vaunted impregnability of their defensive preparations.

Italy, already sadly embroiled in the Mediterranean corner of the struggle, staggers under the weight of wounding blows at the very outset of the new campaign. Her shipping has for months been bombed, torpepoed, and in short woefully harried in discharging the unenviable task of keeping Rommel’s armies supplied. Now comes a fresh rain of aerial blows on her northern cities, doing mortal hurt to her practical efficacy as Germany’s ally, and untold damage to the morale of her people who long since lost what stomach they ever had for the fight.

The R.A.F. have struck at a vulnerable point in Germany’s North African position. For here the Nazis have to fight at the end of a line of communications unhealthily stretched out. It is a disability to which the forces of the United Nations have perforce had to become accustomed, but the Germans have always avoided this particular disadvantage as far as possible.

Even now the handicap of distance remains in their favour. We shall see whether under sustained and concentrated attack they can shoulder the responsibility as we have learned to do. Malta, shrewdly reinforced, plays a pugnacious part in this hammering of Rommel’s life-line, refusing to be blanketed. Axis tonnage is being ever more speedily whittled down by our submarines, and with the air assault thrown in the whole length of the supply route from the north of Italy right down to El Alamein is under fire.

News out of Egypt is scanty, but not discouraging. The signs are that the Eighth Army, conscious perhaps of its proud place in the vanguard of the grand offensive, means business; has the tools and intends to finish the Job.