ACTIVE DEFENCE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 248, 27 July 1940, Page 5

ACTIVE DEFENCE.

BRITISH TACTICS IN AFRICA. EFFECT OF FRENCH COLLAPSE. LONDON, July 25. It is authoritatively stated that the policy of the British Commandcr-in-Chief in Egypt is one of active defence. The collapse of France has greatly changed the situation in Libya, where the numerous and well-equipped Italian armies are no longer threatened on two fronts, and are able to concentrate wholly on the Egyptian border where only the lack of water and communications prevent large concentrations.

Water supplies are sufficient to maintain only a very small garrison at Solium. The real military frontier is as far hack as Mersa Matruh. Similarly Bardia is the Italians’ advanced headquarters, and Tobruk their natural supply base. Frontier fighting must therefore he with relatively small forces. Barbedwire marks the political frontier of; Libya and Egypt. The Italians ' erected the fence, together' with its' covering forts, several years ago. The British have now cut the fence and captured various forts. All the lighting lias been conducted on Italian territory. f Fort Capuzzo is serving a very useful purpose for the British, because it requires frequent .. )e cpnvoys which-, arc necessarily Yiffnevabjb' a (id sufferlosses.-. t BritaiiVsidefHi&U’c ’policy is the wisest- #rlmf l ‘t]ie"‘iffilitai , y'-viewpoint, and also conforms to Egypt’s present political neutrality. The lighting zone in Kenya is very difficult to. operate . in..-Britain has; a few posts along the frontier lightly held, but it is not expected that r 4hey could be'defended' against " attack from the Abyssinian plateau. Conditions in Abyssinia compelled the Italians to maintain largo forces .to. ..keep., order, and these were able to effect a 'torn-, porary occupation of the north-eastern corner of Kenya, namely the Mandetfi triangle, running between Abyssinia and Italian Somaliland. There were no British troops or police at Mandera, therefore the Italians’ claim to have achieved a brilliant action is hardly well founded. The British have taken the initiative further to the north-west from Lake Rudolf. Native troops have raided deep into enemy country and considerably damaged such military objectives' as exist. The fighting in Kenya is likely to remain of a skirmishing nature. The situation in Palestine is quieter than for years.