FIGHT CONTINUES

Grey River Argus, 13 December 1940, Page 7

FIGHT CONTINUES

At Sidi Barrani BRITISH ARMOURED FORCES GO FURTHER. r Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Received December 12, 7.55 p.m.) LONDON, December 11. British armoured forces are sweeping miles beyond Sidi Barrani to Libya. The British Headquarters at Cairo point out, however, that fierce and confused fighting is still proceeding on the Sidi Barrani area itself. Meanwhile, London is still in the dark about actual details as to capture of Sidi Barrani. This is owing to difficulty in communications. The British spokesman in Cairo said: “Battle has developed at some points, there being lone fights between comparatively small bodies of J British and Italian troops. i Authoritative circles in London say l that, although the capture of Sidi Barrani is excellent the whole situation is still a somewhat fluid one.

FEELING IN CAIRO. LONDON, December 11. , Cairo newspapers feature the capture of Sid Barrani, which sent Egyptians wild with joy. The “Elahram ’ uses as a headline a verse from the Koran “Our Possession Has Returned To’ Us.” Prices rose sharply on local stock exchanges with a general feeling of confidence everywhere. | Importance of Success AT SIDI BARRANI. LONDON, December 12. The importance of the capture of Sid Barrani lies in the fact that the British have taken large quantities of equipment and stores, facilitating a further advance. The British success is the outcome of well-planned strategy in which British armoured unts first attacked the enemy’s right flank, and then forced a way tb the rear, while a fierce British frontal attack was launched against enemy positions at Maktila, fifteen miles eastward. This frontal attack was completely successful, as the Italian forces finding themselves cut off from their rear and attacked from all sides, became demoralised. The capture of Sidi Barrani can rightly be claimed as a great victory in early stages of the British offensive, further weakening Italian morale, and it will also tremendously affect both Arab opinion, which Signor Mussolini has assiduously striven to cultivate, and political developments in the Balkans.

BRITISH ANTICIPATIONS LONDON, December 11The Associated Pres s understands that despatches from General Wavell’s now world-famous Press Conference at Cairo on December 9 were the first Whitehall knew of the actual opening of th e . British offensive in North Africa. Staff preparations for the offensive had been in progress for weeks, both in London and Cairo, but authority for setting the British war-machine in action was left in General Wavell’s hands. The War Cabinet has given both General Wavell and Admiral Cunningham wide latitude for decisions in their respective spheres. It is authoritatively stated that, while there is every reason to believe th e operations in the Western Desert ar e proceding most satisfactorily, it is emphasised that regard should be given to the vast area concerned It is not a matter of breaking the Italian lines, because they do not exist in the usually accepted sense of the term. . Military experts in London do not expect the British attack to develop as quickly as th e Greek attack in Albania. The Italians have many tanks and large supplies of arms in the Western Desert. They have had three months to build desert fortresses, which stud an area of 80 miles .long and 30 miles deep. They will probably have to be taken one by one. TURKISH OPINION TURNING POINT NEXT YEAR ISTANBUL, December 11. Mr Sarajoglu, making a speech to members of Parliament, said that increased British power in the Meditetrranean has led to the belief that the danger of an Italian invasion of Egypt no longer exists. Italy aimed at making the Mediterranean an Axis lake, in 1940-41. Leading Turkish military opinion was that the turning point of the war will be reached if Britain maintains her island resistance during the winter, and continues th e pressure with Greece in the Middle East. British superiority in 'the Middle East and Mediterranean was unquestionable.

50,000 Attackers ITALIAN ACCOUNT. SIDI BARRANI STILL BEING DEFENDED. (Received December 12, 9.10 p.m). LONDON, December 11. Despatches from BenzhazJi were received at Rome at 9.30 p.m. on Wednesday. These estimate that there are about fifty thousand allied troops engaged in the attack upon Sidi Barrani. The Italians are claimed to have stiffened their resistance. They were still fiercely defending the outpost half an hour after its fall had been announced. NEW ZEALAND CASUALTIES. WELLINGTON, December 11. Flying Officer Robert Trevor Mulligan, Royal Air Force, is reported missing in air operations on December 8. His father is ,Mr. A. W. Mulligan, 13 Crieff Street, Northland, Wellington. Sergeant Jack Burrall Courtis, R.N.Z.A.F., killed in an aircraft accident. Father A. N. Courtis, Earnslaw Street Invercargill.