ITALIANS CONTINUE ADVANCE

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23129, 19 September 1940, Page 7

ITALIANS CONTINUE ADVANCE

Sidi Barrani Occupied By Large Forces BRITISH UNDISMAYED BY ENEMY TACTICS (rVITKD PRF.SS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (Received September 18, 11.30 p.m.) CAIRO, September 17. It is officially stated that Italian motorised columns have occupied Sidi Barrani and have pushed out covering forces to the southward and westward. The occupation of Sidi Barrani has brought the Italian advance 75 miles from the frontier in five days, establishing Marshal Graziani at the beginning of the fine asphalted road running through Mersa-Matruh to Alexandria. The spearhead of the invading forces, totalling three divisions, is already on, and pushing along this road. Others are frantically digging-in ait Solium and Sidi Barrani, which they intend to use as bases for operations from the oases further inland. Italian military circles claim that Solium is important because it is the only natural harbour between Libya and Alexandria, which is the Italians’ main objective. They declare that Solium will afford shelter for the largest naval units in the world, and also protection against the treacherous African winds because it is surrounded by a horseshoe chain of hills. An official British spokesman in Cairo said: “We are not defending the long desert line from Solium, but we will certainly defend Egypt proper, namely, the Delta and the Nile Valley. Between these extremities our course of action is directed not to the occupation or retention of this area, but to the destruction of the , enemy’s forces. Territorial readjustments will follow naturally, when this is achieved, as it will be.”

The road from Solium runs southard to the oasis of Siwa, to which |he Italians apparently intend to advance immediately they have consolidated their coastal invasion. Indeed, supporting forces are already spreading southward. Two columns, keeping fairly close together, are leading the coastal advance, using medium tanks of 11 tons with a large number of light tanks, which, however, have proved especially vulnerable to the British fire. No major engagement has yet occurred, but air battles, under the terrific desert heat and sandstorms, rage fiercely throughout the day. Hurricanes and Blenheims hurl themselves down on the tank columns, troops, and transports, artillery pounds the invaders, and warships shell their path from the sea. The Italians are also using bombers and fighters freely in support of their land forces. The Royal Air Force continues strafing throughout the night as the Italians seek a few hours’ rest and endeavour to rush up supply waggons to establish the water, fuel, ammunition, and food dumps which are essential if long liries.of communication are not to become a liability, spelling the failure of Marshal Graziani’s task. ■ A retreat now, with the divisions locked under the Libyan escarpment, would be disastrous. The Cairo correspondent of “The -Times” says Egypt’s army of 30,000 will unquestionably fight at the appropriate time. Already a native army is carrying out manoeuvres outside Cairo, and in the desert long convoys of the Egyptian Army’s camouflaged trucks and Bren gun carriers and artillery are filing across the capital. Their equipment is superior to anything yet captured from the Italians. Volunteers and civil guards have taken over security jobs in Cairo and Alexandria. Regular Egyptian troops guard the Nile bridges, and Egyptians man the anti-aircraft guns and searchlights around the two cities. Egyptians and Sudanese man the frontier observation posts. Native anti-aircraft gunners at Alexandria have been signally _ successfiu in repulsing 75 Italian raids, which have killed JO and wounded 40 civilians. The Italians repeatedly missea their objective, which is the Bntisn Fleet. The commander-in-chief of the Egyptian Territorial Army, forecasting increasingly powerful forces, said. "We can train 200,000 men a year. The leading Arabic newspaper, aiahram,” says: “Egyptians are f ull confidence in their leaders and await patiently the outcome of the .\|; ? is t c b u p s v cions, but earnestly hope that they will not have to wait too long. _ „ All the newspapers are most friendly towards Britain. Italian propagand articles have entirely disappea re “-. The Egyptian War Minister (Mahmud Fahmy Elkissy) has akeady he gun discussions with the senior Bntis and Egyptian military officers regarding the role the Egyptian Army is to play in view of the invasion. A Royal Air Force communique Issued in Cairo states: —‘‘A series of bombing raids was made on Monday night on enemy motor transports ana concentrations east of Bag Bag. Many direct hits were observed, resulting in numerous fires and explosions. (‘Against Eritrea there was a successful attack on the Asmara aerodrome, a direct hit being scored on the hangar. “A formation of enemy bombers approached Malta on Monday but turned away, without dropping its bombs on Ike appearance of our fighters. "From all operations the British aircraft returned safely.” PART PLAYED BY DOMINIONS ; SACRIFICES FOR WAR EFFORT • (Received September 18, 7 p.m.) ;; LONDON, September 17. - The Secretary of State for the Dominions (Lord Caldecote), in the House of Lords, said the inclusion of almost the whole of Europe In the war zone deprived the Dominions of many valuable markets. “I must pay tribute to the Dominions for their unselfish readiness to modify their plans and organisation to meet the needs of the United Kingdom, though it may be to the prejudice of their wealth. ‘Tt must not be thought that the Contribution by the Dominions has been achieved without stress and strain or that they are enjoying the benefits without a corresponding financial sacrifice. Each has freely made Avery large expenditure in resolute Support of the common cause. This, undoubtedly, has Imposed a great and burden on their budgets, inMving the people in many sacrifices, PUt tbese have been met without compihlag and, indeed, with enthusiasm* ’

RUMANIAN OIL EXPORTS BIGGER TOTAL SENT TO GERMANY EFFECT OF SWING TO AXIS * (Received September 18, 9 p.m.) BUCHAREST, September 17. The most important result of the Rumanian swing to the Axis is the doubling of oil exports to ‘Germany within two months. The average monthly export of oil for the nine months to June 30 was

70.000 tons, but the total reached 180.000 tons in July and 200,000 tons in August, which is unprecedented. One-third of the total went to Germany by rail, and the remainder by the Danube. Rumania’s pre-war rate of export to Germany was 120,000 tons a month. ■ British policy since the outbreak of war succeeded, in reducing the total, but now that genuine neutrality has been discarded, oil is pouring into Germany as fast as transport is available. 11 DESTROYERS NAMED SHIPS SOLD BY D.S. RUGBY, September 17. The question of naming the 50 destroyers transferred to the British flag by the United States was raised in the House of Commons to-day. The First Lord of the Admiralty (Mr A. V. Alexander) said that by agreement between the two Governments the original American names would not be used. He disclosed the names which the JCing had approved for the first flotilla, as Churchill (leader), Gaidweß, Cameron, Castleton, Chelsea. Chesterfield, Clare, and Campbelltown. .. Mr Alexander pointed out that these names were all names of towns or villages common to the United Kingdom and the United States. Names on a similar basis for other American destroyers would shortly be given, and these would include a few names common to the West Indies as 1 well.