OPERATIONS IN EGYPT

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 September 1940, Page 8

OPERATIONS IN EGYPT

MAIN ARMIES IN TOUCH BIG ACTION IMMINENT [by CABLE—PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT J CAIRO, September 18. • The spaced between the British Army , and the Italian Army in Egypt is' steadily narrowing. Light British forces have been flung into action to delay the Italians, and there have been'some bitter skirmishes in which the ltalian casualties have been very heavy. » ■ . . : The Italian advance reveals careful preparation. Water-carriers, supply vzdggons, and troop-carriers are pressing hard on the heels of the tanks as i they; advance from Sidi Barrani. Squads of sappers are hastily repairing the .crater-strewn tracks, and artillery units are rushing up cannon on lorries and mounting them at vantage points along the route. The Royal Air Force has already been in action against two enemy regular divisions, but there are strong Italian forces in reserve. j 'lt may be a day or two before a large-scale land action occurs. Individual initiative and bravery are enabling the British to score many local successes against numerically superior forces. The enemy’s lines of communications are lengthening with every yard of the advance, whereas the British supply channels are becoming shorter. To-day, Royal Air Force, machines made a flight of 250 miles across Libya to bomb the Italian base aerodrome at Baghazi. Bombs were dropped on the landing-field and hangars ' and huge fires' were - started which were Visible 70 miles away.

R.A.F. SUCCESSFUL ATTACKS. (Recd. Sept. 20, 9.10 a.m.). CAIRO, September 19. • An R.A.F. communique states: Enemy aerodromes, transports, concentrations, and communications were again successfully dealt » with , oh September 18. Several hangars were destroyed. Planes set fire to Benghazi aerodrome, the flames being'seen from 70 miles. Bombs burst among the Sidi Barrani gun emplacements. An Italian flying-boat was shot down over the Mediterranean. Mem-,, bers of the crew were rescued. Eritrean and Somaliland aerodromes and barracks were successfully, bombed. ' The South African Air Force bombers attacked Elwak on September 1718 and the Birkao landing ground on September 16, where three buildings were demolished. They set fire to a wireless station by a direct- bit. DODECANESE BASES BOMBED. RUGBY, September 19. An R.A.F. Cairo communique, issued to-day, states: Highly-successful air attacks were launched on enemy bases in the Dodecanese Islands. At Me'ritiza, in Rhodes, fires were started. Several explosioifs, which were followed by large fires, were seen at Calato. Hangars, barracks, the harbour and jetty were hit at Portolago, and at Leros a fuel store was hit and the fire spread along the coast. All our aircraft returned safely. RAIDS IN DESERT AREA. RUGBY, September 19. Continuous raids were launched against the enemy from the Western Desert. Aircraft was set on fire and buildings were hit at Tobruk, and large concentrations of motor trans- . port between Solium and Sidi Barrani were set on fire. A successful attack was made on about 50 aircraft on the ground at El Timi. Bombs fell among the aircraft, and severe damage was caused.

Raids were also made on Bomba, Bardea, and a camp in the CapuzzoSollum area. One of our aircraft is missing. ■ The aircraft of the South African Air Force raided the aerodrome at Mogadiscio on September 17, for the sixth time. All the bombs were dropped on the hangars and buildings, and many fires were started. An attack was also made on Lavello, in Abyssinia. One enemy borpber was destroyed, and considerable damage to hangars and buildings resulted. Three raids were made by R.A.F. bombers on'Kassala, and one enemy fighter, which attempted to intercept, was damaged. A.ssab and Diredawa were 'again attacked, and fires were observed. ' FRENCH ASSISTANCE. RUGBY, September 19. The Air Force of the free French forces is taking an active part, in co-operation with British squadrons, in the operations against Italy in Eastern Africa. In this connection, it is learned that four airmen—a captain, a lieutenant, and two * sublieutenants—are reported missing. NAVAL ACTIVITY. SERIES Of SUCCESSES. RUGBY, September 19. . Details of naval operations against the Italians in East Africa are contained'in'an Armiralty communique, which states: An initial report from the Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterarnean indicates that units of the Royal Navy continue to harry the northern flank of the Italian advance from Libya. On the night of September 17, one of our naval 'units bombarded the Coast road to Solium, at close range. Simultaneously, other units attacked enemy concentrations at Sidi Barrani. The Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean reports that both these bombardments appear to. have had considerable success.

Benghazi was attacked by aircraft of. the Fleet Air Arm on September 16. The Commander-in-Chie'f in the Mediterranean reports that during this attack, one merchant ship was set on fire, one destroyer .-was probably. sunk, and several other ships were .damaged. Yesterday’s Italian communique admitted that a tor-pedo-boat and a pontoon had been sunk, and a few fires started at Benghazi. ■ Concurrent with these operations off the Libyan coast, naval operations have been carried, out in other areas. In the (jourse of these operations, no enemy naval forces could be located. In the north-eastern Mediterranean, one of otir Convoys and an escort of warships was several times unsuccessfully attacked by aircraft. 1

' “AT ANY MOMENT;” (Recd. September 20, 11.40 a.m.) ' MELBOURNE, September 20. Mr Menzies, in a speech, said that the men of the A.I.F. in the Middle East may meet the Italians in combat “at any moment.” He added that the time was coming when Australia would be asked more and more to reinforce its troops in the Middle East, so that the gateway should not.be locked to the Empire.' ITALIAN~VERSION. . (Recd. Sept. 20, 11.55 a.m.). " ROME, September 19. ■ Marshal Graziani reported to Mussolini that Sidi Barrani was occupied when the enemy, after resisting inch by inch, was finally upset by an Italian pincers movement, and hurriedly retreated to Mersa Matruh, destroying mupition dumps and salting the wells. The British lost over half their numerous armoured units. A communique states: British paval units started a bombardment of Italian troops between Bardia\and Sidi Barrani. The Italian air force intervened and bombed the enemy ships, forcing them to flee. A ,10,000ton British cruiser, was torpedoed from the air, and was serioiisly damaged. jWe again bombed and machinegunned enemy columns and'mechanised units, which a¥te fleeing everywhere. We also bombed Mersa Matruh and other military targets. The enemy raided Tobruk, v ßoma, and Benghazi, causing limited damage. ..The British made an air-raid on Rhodes and Lerps. Many fires were started, but there were no casualties. The British raided Kassala, Assab, Yavello, Mogadishu,. Diredawa, Zeila, and Mersataclai, killing seven and wounding 13 persons. GERMAN ASSISTANCE. CAIRO, September 19. ...A Royal Air Force communique states that two Junkers dive-bomb-ers were shot down during a raid on Malta, indicating that Germany is reinforcing the Italian Air Force

VON RIBBENTROP. MISSION TO ROME. LONDON, September 18. The German Foreign Minister (Herr von Ribbentrop) has arrived at Munich on his way to Rome in a special train comprising armoured carriages and mounting anti-aircraft guns. It is said that the purpose of his visit is to make a general survey of the war situation, Nazi sources explaining that it is the Axis policy-for the partners to keep themselves advised on various matters. The Official German News Agency states that the conference. Will be important to both Germany and Italy in the prosecution of their life struggle. No doubt Herr von Ribbentrop will explain to Signor Mussolini why Germany has not yet invaded Britain, and will ask him in turn to do some explaining about the 1 Italian campaign in Northern Africa. Some quarters think that the Axis Powers may make a concerted move in the Mediterranean if the invasion ,of Britain does not develop. . .. (Recd. September 20 z 10.55 a.m.) ROME, September 19. Von Ribbentrop conferred with Ciano and Mussolini.