BRILLIANT STROKE

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 143, 13 December 1940, Page 7

BRILLIANT STROKE

ALLIED FORCES CONGRATULATIONS SENT MR. EDEN'S MESSAGE (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) (Received December 13, 9.20 a.m.) LONDON, December 12. The Secretary of War, Mr. Eden, telegraphed to General Sir Archibald Wavell: "On behalf of all ranks of the Army serving at home and in other theatres of war, I send you and all under your command congratulations on your victory- Your brilliant stroke has delighted us all and filled us with pride." (British Official Wireless.) (Received December 13, 12.10 p.m.) RUGBY, December 12. Mr. Eden's message to Sir Archibald Wavell reflects the general enthusiasm which greeted the announcement of the capture of Sidi BarranL The results of further developments to the west where the operations are proceeding are eagerly awaited. The full extent of this swift and important success cannot be immediately assessed, and the number of prisoners taken is not yet known, but significance is attached to the large quantities of war material that have fallen into British hands. Sidi Barrani is a small whitewashed town some 50 miles from the Libyan frontier, and is itself without strategic value. It acquired importance whert it became Marshal Graziani's advanced supply base and road-head. The British advance which culminated in its capture began on Monday, and Royal Air Force and naval forces co-operated brilliantly with military operations, as a result of which it would appear that the Italians were from the outset thrown into a state of much confusion. The effectiveness of the aerial assistance was enhanced by the restricted scale of the Italian air action—due, no doubt, to the deadly effectiveness of the recent constant attacks by the Royal Air Force on enemy aerodromes and bases. Although, for reasons which will be apparent, the full extent of the naval co-operation cannot yet be disclosed, it is very briefly dealt with in an Admiralty communique which states: "The Royal Navy continues to play its part in disorganising the Italian retreat in Africa. Both heavy and light units of the Mediterranean Fleet are continually harassing the Italian communications. Our ships heavily bombarded focal points of the Italian retreat at Sollum, near the frontier of Libya and Egypt, and at Bardia, on the Libyan coast. No damage or casualties have been suffered by any of our units during these operations, j Other British naval units carried out! a bombardment of Kismayu, in Italian Somaliland, damaging Italian supplies. Enemy coastal batteries replied ineffectively to our fire."

While in London there is a disinclination to speculate on the full results of the success in the Western Desert, in Egypt and throughout the Middle East it is regarded as being of immense significance not only on account of the effect on the military campaign, but as constituting a severe blow to the morale of the Italians, whose propaganda represented Sidi Barrani as a fairly important city.

In Turkey the development of the British offensive is being watched with the closest interest, and informed commentators there even declare that the attack on Sidi Barrani may be regarded as a turning-point in the war.