CHIEF OF STAFF TO TAKE OVER

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 94, 15 January 1941, Page 7

CHIEF OF STAFF TO TAKE OVER

Italians In Albania. LONDON, January 13. • General Soddu, who has resigned from the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Italian army in Albania, is to be replaced by the Italian Chief of Staff, General Ugo Cavallero, who will also retain his present position. ■ Before going to Albania, General Soddu had had'comparatively little military experience, and his two months’ command has been marked by an unbroken series of defeats. ■ General Cavallero is an experienced soldier, and was Chief of the Operations Bureau in the last war.

The fact that Signor Mussolini has had to call on his Chief of Stuff to take over in Albania shows how short he is of military leaders willing to conduct his war. Just over a month ago Marshal Badoglio resigned and was followed into retirement next (.lay by Count Vecchi, Governor of the Dodecanese and the day after I hat. by the Chief of the Naval Staff, his deputy, and the chief of the fleet.

TURKISH COMMENT

LONDON. January 1-1.

The Turkish radio describes the displacement of three Italian army commanders within three months :i< unprecedented in military history. It attributes this to interference by political leaders who have no knowledge of military affairs.

LUXURY LAND YACHTS FROM CONGO (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, January 13.

Luxury land yachts which were confiscated from Commander Gatti, the Italian explorer and publicist, form part of a mobile casualty clearing station equipped, financed, and staffed by the Government and people of the Belgian Congo and presented by them to Britain as an expression of firm determination to assist, in Hie prosecution of I lie war. Those six-wheelers include every modern convenience such as bathrooms and refrigerators.