ITALIANS ADVANCING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 295, 20 September 1940, Page 5

ITALIANS ADVANCING.

ROYAL NAVY MAKES ATTACKS. ENEIMY FLANK SHELLED. WITH “CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS.” OTHER. POINTS ALSO STRUCK. (United Press Association—Copyright ) (Received This Day, 11.55 a.m.) LONDON, September 19.

Details of the naval operations against the Italians in East Africa are contained in the following Admiralty communique:

“The initial report from the Com-mander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean indicates that units of the Royal Navy continue to harry the northern flank of the Italian advance from Libya. On Tuesday night one of our naval units bombarded the coast road to Solium at close range. Simultaneously, other units attacked enemy concentrations at Sidi Barranii • “The Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean reports that both these bombardments appear to have had considerable success.

“Benghazi was attacked by aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm on Monday and the Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean reports that during this attack one merchant ship was set on lire, one destroyer probably sunk and several other ships damaged. Yesterday's Italian communique admitted that a torpedo boat and a .pontoon liad been sunk. A few fires were started at Benghazi.

“Concurrent with these operations off the Libyan coast, naval operations have been carried out in other areas. In the course of these operations no enemy naval forces could be located. In the north-eastern Mediterranean one of our convoys and its escort of warships was several times unsuccessfully attacked by aircraft.”—British Official Wireless.