AT LITTLE COST

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 139, 8 March 1941, Page 11

AT LITTLE COST

Italian Army Of 150,000 Destroyed

LONDON, March 0.

The entire Italian army of 150,000 men in eastern Libya was destroyed or captured at a cost to the British forces of just over 500 dead or missing. Captain Margesson, Secretary for War, said today that the British losses between the end of November last year and, February 11 in all operations in the Middle East, including East Africa, were 438 killed, 87 missing and ; 1249 wounded. This period includes the whole Libyan campaign, for the destruction of the Italian army there was completed when Benghazi capitulated on February 6. The War Secretary said that the weakness of the Italian opposition was not due primarily to weakened morale, but to the brilliant use of surprise manoeuvre by the British forces. These operations were a prelude to the greater struggle with Britain’s principal enemy. A message from Brazzaville (French Congo) says that the Free French forces captured 350 Italians at Kufra, Including 11 officers; also four anti-aircraft guns and many machineguns. General de Gaulle has awarded the Croix de la Liberation to Colonel Leclerc for the capture of Kufra.