ITALIAN ADVANCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 September 1940, Page 7

ITALIAN ADVANCE

HARASSED BY R.A.F. NO SERIOUS LAND OPPOSITION [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN.-COPYRIGHT.] LONDON, September 18. An. official. British, spokesman, ip Cairo said: “We are ndt 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 1 the enemy’s forces. Territorial readjustments will follow naturally, when this is achieved, as it will be.” The road from Solium runs southward to the oasis of Siwa, to which the 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 arid 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 lines 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.

EGYPTIAN ARMY. 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 antiaircraft guns and searchlights around the two cities.

Egyptians and Sudanese man the frontier observation posts. Native anti-aircraft gunners at Alexandria have been signally successful in repulsing 75 Italian raids, which have killed 10 and wounded 40 civilians. The Italians repeatedly missed their objective, which is the British 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, “Alahram,” says: “Egyptians are full of confidence in their leaders, and await patiently the outcome of their discussions, but earnestly hope that they will not have to wait too long.” All the newspapers are most friendly towards Britain. Italian propaganda articles have entirely disappeared. The Egyptian War Minister (Mahmud Fahmy Elkissy) has already begun discussions with the senior British and Egyptian military officers regarding the role the Egyptian Army is to play in view of the invasion. POSITIONS BOMBED. RUGBY, September 18. The latest communique, issued today from General Headquarters at Cairo, states: .“During yesterday and last night, the enemy has* been engaged in consolidating positions in and around Sidi Barrani, where they have been heavily and successfully bombed. On the other fronts there is nothing to report.” SIWA OASIS. LONDON, September 17. A road from Solium runs southward to the oasis of Siwa. The Italians, apparently, intend to advance to the Siwa oasis immediately they have consolidated their coastal invasion. Indeed, the supporting Italian forces are already spreading southward. VON RIBBENTROP IN ITALY BERLIN, September 18. The Foreign Minister, Herr Von Ribbentrop, is paying a brief visit to Italy.

PRESS ESTIMATES. (Recd. Sept. 19, 11.15 a.m.). LONDON,. September 18. The British United Press Cairo -correspondent says: The Italians are moving up, hugging the coastline, and are reported to have reached the oasis of Sidi Omar, 26 miles from Solium. Two columns reaching Siri Barrani are reported to have comprised light tanks, whereof militarists have not a high opinion. The troops comprised metropolitan forces, but no natives. They were strongly supported by artillery, mounted on trucks. The Italian water-supply is apparently efficient, enabling a rapid advance, in spite of the wells in the vicinity being rendered useless. The newspaper “Al Misri” says: The Western Egyptian Desert is destined to be the burial ground of Fascism., The Italians musx cross 40U miles, before reaching the Nile. The “Journal de Egypt” says: The Italian advance 'cannot be . described as an attack, since no opposition has yet been offered. ITALIAN CLAIMS. (Recd. Sept. 19, 11.55 a.m.). ROME, September 18. A communique states: Italian native troops; continuing their victorious advance, occupied Sidi Barrani, and are organising a new base for communications. The native troops have again shown high quality, and absolute loyalty to Italy. We smashed at all points the stubborn enemy resist-

ance, backed by armoured units. The Air Force participated in the battle, bombing and machine-gun-ning the enemy. We shot down five Glosters in flames, and probably destrqyed a sixth. Four Italian planes have not returned.

The enemy night-raided Benghazi, sinking a barge and a torpedo-boat, and causing a few fires. They slightly damaged a vessel at Derna. Dive-bombers, escorted by fighters, bpmbed Micaba and Malta, causing fires and heavy damage. They destroyed at least three 'grounded planes, and shot down two planes which atte'mpted to attack them. Bombers raided Boma, damaging a small fort and setting fire to an encampment. An Italian reconnaissance plane seriously damaged a British fighter which attacked it over Aden. Planes destroyed one grounded enemy plane at Sarafsied, northwestwards of Gallabat. The enemy raided Assab, Massawa, and Diredawa, where a hotel was slightly The anti-aircraft defences shot down an enemy plane.’ A Blenheim bomber landed by mistake at* the Italian airport at Pantailaria. Three members of the crew were taken prisoner. The survivors of a 5,800-ton British vessel, which an Italian submarine sank in the Atlantic, set out for Lisbon. ; N.Z. CASUALTIES 1 WELLINGTON, September 19. The following casualties to the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force in' Egypt have been reported:— Private George, Riphard Osborn, killed as a result of air bombs. Father, Mr. A. W. Osborn, Astley Avenue, New Lynn. Private Reginald Frederick Buckingham, wounded as a result of air bombs. Mother, Mrs. Francis Gunn, Monovale, Cambridge. Private James William Roiall, wounded as a result' of 'air bombs. Wife, Mrs. R. A. Roiall, 39 Cooper Street, Grey Lynn. Private Richard John Morgari, wounded as a result of air bombs. Brother, Mr. J. Morgan, Canada.

SAN MARINO’S BLOW. * (Reed; Sept. 19, 11.15 a.m.) LONDON, September 18. A proclamation in San Marino has ended the 25 years’ war the tiny republic has waged, on paper, against Germany. War has now been declared on Britain. Two captains and the Regent, addressing the cheering populace, declared that the army is in splendid fighting trim. It consists of 39 officers and 950 rankers. San Marino is the smallest State in Europe, and adjoins Italy. The area is about 23 square miles, and the population about 12,000.