Preparatory Work

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 10, 13 January 1941, Page 7

Preparatory Work

ARTIiLLERY DUELS

Planes Escort Troops

\ LONDON, January 12. The situation at Tobruk is summed up in today's brief General Headquarters communique, which states: "Preparatory activities in the Tobruk area are continuing!" It appears that; a main factor in these preparations is a concentration of British guns surrounding the stronghold. Some of the guns are reported to have been engaged in duels with enemy artillery of the garrison. At the same time, troops of the Imperial Arm# are moving up to new positions under powerful aircraft escort.

There are some reasons for believing that the situation of the defenders in Tobrufc may be even more precarious than that of the garrison of Barrdia. For example, the drinking water supply must be brought by sea from Derna, 115 miles tb the we?tf and there can be little doubt that the Royal Navy will take care of thsfct. For other supplies, our land forces control the road linking Tobruk with its mam line of communication. , • ... mA ~ ,*+ In East Africa, too, we .retain the initiative. > Today, it is officially reported from Cairo that Sudan frontier patrols are continuing their vigorous! activities. Operating east ol Gallabat, our troops have successfully raided Italian frontier forces, inflicting casualties. .Referring to the war m this part of Africa, General Smuts said yesterday that South African forces there were largely immobilising an Italian army approximately as great as thaifc confronting General Wavell further north.