GREAT VICTORY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 74, 8 January 1941, Page 3

GREAT VICTORY

“WILL RANK FOR EVER HIGH.”

GREAT TRIBUTE TO WAVELL. (United Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON, January 6. “The best news perhaps that this war lias yet brought us, but not the best that will be brought.”- This is how Mr A. Duff Cooper (Minister for Information) described Britain’s victory at Bardia in a broadcast. “General Wavell’s great victory in the Libyan Desert will rank for ever high among British military achievements,” he said. “It is a master stroke, carefully planned, and carried out with the exactitude and precision that has ever characterised the work of the great masters of the military profession. The results are astounding. This strong defensive position, held by 32,000 troops, supported by powerful artillery and modern, tanks, has been attacked and captured after an operation last only three days, and as far as the information goes at present at a cost of only a few hundred casualties. “Within a month we have captured nearly 70,000 of the enemy, together with vast supplies of valuable equipment.

“The capture of Bardia has been even more spectacular than was the capture of Solium three weeks ago. These are victories of the first order, and we have a right to be cheerful. Having congratulated ourselves, let us also convey our congratulations to those who deserve them. “The capture of Solium necessitated a march of 140 miles across waterless desert —no easy matter to supply troops with food and water, to supply machines with petrol, and supply guns and rifles with ammunition. It might -well have been thought that 140 miles was almost the limit over which communications could be maintained, but having captured Solium, General Wavell, without hesitation or haste, pressed forward so that those troops of the enemy who had retreated on Bardia should not escape. “At dawn last Friday morning the bombardment of Bardia was intensified on the northern sector, and tlie enemy naturally assumed that this was the final baryage, to be followed immediately by an attack liom ie same direction; but while the enemy was preparing to meet the attack, it was suddenly delivered with tremendous force witli infantry accompanied by tanks—from the west. ‘ “Completely taken by surprise, the enemy was overpowered, and by the evening a break, through had been accomplished on a frontage “of nine miles and to a depth of two miles. “On Sunday evening General Wavell was able to report that the town was his, and that lighting had ceased. “It would be wrong to insult a defeated enemy, and inglorious for civilians to question the courage of those who passed through the battle,” Mr Cooper addedw “If events in Libya and Albania indicate a certain lack of determination and enthusiasm in the Italian soldiery, there are causes to which this can be attributed without the imputation of lack of valour. Tlie / Greeks know they are fighting for their own country, which has been wantonly invaded by a far stronger Power. The British soldier knows equally that he is fighting for existence, which he values, and for freedom, which he values more. And he knows his Government was compelled by the aggression of other nations to go to war. • “But what does the Italian say to himself on the morning of battle? In a 20 years’ interval he has attacked other nations, but has not been attacked by them. He has made no claim to which satisfaction has been refused. He was living in peace and hoping for prosperity when for no reason except the insane ambition of his ruler he was suddenly precipitated into war.

“The Italian people feel they are fighting for a bad cause. If in this war the Italians are ‘ very far from being the bg.st soldiers, it is because they do not know what they are fighting for.

“But all their weakness is insufficient to account for the completeness and perfection of this victory, and all their weakness does not detract in any way from the glory of those to whom credit of due. The victory is a result of the military genius of General Wavell and of the training and gallantry of the brave troops be leads.”—British Official Wireless.