Enemy Cross Egyptian Border

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 220, 16 September 1940, Page 8

Enemy Cross Egyptian Border

SOLLUM OCCUPIED Armoured Units Harassing Italians ~ (United Press Association. —Copyright.—Rec. 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, September 15. The British United Press Cairo correspondent says the Italians yesterday advanced across the Egyptian frontier and occupied Solium, from which the British withdrew six weeks ago. It is not clear whether the invasion of Egypt proper has begun. British armoured forces are harassing the Italians: An earlier Cairo headquarters communique states that some — enemy movements towards the Libyan frontier have been ™ observed. Similar movements are reported from Kassala, which it was always expected the Italians might use as a base for the extension of'penetration to the Sudan. However, the moving up of units in Libya may merely be designed to prevent our continued penetration of Italian territory—a penetration which is describable as a running-sore, constantly causing enemy casualties in men and . material. Z A Rome communique states: "Italian advance forces crossed Z'. the Egypt-Cyrenaica border .and engaged the enemy. A lively. *" combat followed. Our 'planes bombed and machine-gunned the . enemy from a low altitude. Two Blenheims were shot down. "We raided at night the arsenal at Valetta and the hydroplane base at Calaframa, in Malta, scoring direct hits. "We also bombed enemy naval formations in the eastern _'. Mediterranean. Italian "pla ne «s bombed a 10,000-ton British ~; cruiser in the Indian Ocean. The cruiser was seen to proceed £ slowly, listing heavily. "The British raided the entire sector between Asmara and - Adiugri without result. They dropped incendiary bombs. A plantation was slightly damaged." A British official wireless message says a Royal Air Force communique issued in Cairo states: "A Savoia 79 aircraft was shot down by one of our fighters over the Mediterranean on ~ Wednesday. On Thursday aircraft of the South African Air Force raided aerodromes in Central Abyssinia. At Gimma there 'was a direct hit on a hangar, and fires broke out among the buildings,, one Caproni aircraft being destroyed and another extensively damaged.

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"At Sciascimanna the headquarters building was hit, one Savoia aircraft being destroyed and three others damaged. A motor transport convoy was also machine-gunned. From these ' operations one of our aircraft failed to return. "R.A.F. bombers raided Somaliland and Eritrea on Friday. At Berbera bombs fell on the European quarter, and at Assab there was a direct hit on the harbour jetty. Gura and Asmara aerodromes were attacked, buildings being set on fire. Enemy fighters attempted to intercept our 'planes without success. Another fire was started at Maseawa." . The confidence which the Egyptian Government clearly places in the British Navy has enabled the Mecca pilgrimage in which the : faithful cross the Red Sea between Suez and Jedda to continue to be made. . ..• The Egyptian Premier, Hassan Sabry, on Friday instructed all Mudirs and Governors to announce to the nation that persons desiring, to make the pilgrimage should submit application in the usual way. ■••-■ Hassan Sabry by this decision gives further proof .that the necessary withdrawal of British troops from Somaliland in no way reduced the effective British control of the Red Sea.