Italians Forming 3 Armies For Attack On Egypt Rome Hints That Invasion Has Started

Northern Advocate, 13 September 1940, Page 5

Italians Forming 3 Armies For Attack On Egypt Rome Hints That Invasion Has Started

London Says Frontier Not Yet Crossed (Received noon.) RUGBY, September 12. WHILE IN THE PAST DAY OR TWO THERE HAVE BEEN ITALIAN TROOP MOVEMENTS IN THE NORTH OF LIBYA IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF CAPUZZO—MOVEMENTS WHICH WERE TO BE EXPECTED—NO ITALIAN TROOPS AS YET HAVE CROSSED THE EGYPTIAN FRONTIER, IT IS STATED IN AUTHORITATIVE CIRCLES IN LONDON TODAY. It has been suggested that Italians are forming three armies for the attack on Egypt. According to these reports one is to go along the coast, near Solium, the second to operate north-west towards Wadi Haifa from Kassala, and the third along the Sndan-Egyptian frontier from the neighbourhood of Taheida. which is its base. This army,, it is presumed, will attempt to travel straight across 400 .or 500 miles of almost waterless desert towards Wadi Haifa, to join with the Kassala army.

fr No German Formations. Informed military circles here, while regarding it as quite possible that there might be raids, emphasise that reports of attacks coming from this direction with any force which could fairly be described as an arms', should be treated with reserve. As far as is known there are no German formations supporting the Italian forces in Libya. According to a cable message, the British United Press Rome correspondent says informed persons declare that reports that the Italian offensive has begun in Egypt cannot be denied. “But official confirmation must await such a communique.” Tobruk Useless. “The Times” says the combined operations by the R.A.F. and the Fleet Air Arm have rendered Tobruk, the Italian port on the Libyan coast, utterly useless for supplying Italian troops, and as a base for submarines and warships. The harbour has been cleared of erdwded shipping, including five submarines, of which at least one was sunk. The harbour is now littered with ships sunk or lying drunkenly on their sides. Raids on Libya A Cairo cable message says a Royal Air Force communique issued there states: “Our bombers yesterday launched a series of raids against Libya, starting four fires at Amseat, and bombing the landing ground at Derna, bombs falling among aircraft. “Two large fires broke out in the harbour and on the jetty at Derna, and several fires were started at Bardia.

“The enemy tried to bomb Mersa Matruh (Egypt), but suf-

fered a high proportion of loss. Four Savoia planes were destroyed. “The South African Air Force bombed Sciasciamanna, in Central Abyssinia, and destroyed one plane and damaged four.” A communique issued from Cairo Headquarters states: “Khartoum was bombed yesterday. “No damage was done and there were no casualties. All is quiet in Kenya.”

A later communique, issued in Cairo, says a 8.0. W. message, states: “On Wednesday Mersa Matruh, in Egypt, was again bombed without any important damage, and only one casualty. “Enemy aircraft was active against our forward troops but caused no damage.

“Our patrols in Kenya actually engaged the enemy in a northern frontier district on a 200-mile front between Walquaris and Turbi, and inflicted losses.

“In the Sudan, on Tuesday, in the Kassala area, enemy defences on the west banks of the River Gafh were heavily bombed. “In Palestine there is nothing to report.”

More Italian Bombings.

A Rome communique states: “We bombed by night and by day the railway along the Egyptian coast, also enemy encampments at Solium and Sidi Barrani, causing fires and explosions.

“We machine-gunned enemy armoured units.

“The British ineffectually tried to raid Derna.

“We destroyed a Blenheim bomber and probably another. “One of ours has not returned. “We sank two enemy destroyers at Aden on September 1. “Italian planes bombed Khartoum airport, Hayia railway junction .and Atbara airport. Kassala Attack Repulsed. “All our planes returned. “The British attempted to attack Kassala bridgehead, but the Italian guns sent them back after an hour’s engagement.

“Another enemy attack on Cherilli was .also repulsed. “The enemy bombed Assab and Chachaman. south from Addis Ababa, causing slight damage. “An enemy plane was shot down. “Enemy planes attempted to raid Massawa naval base but dropped bombs into the sea.

“Two raiders were destroyed .at Dessie on Monday. “An Italian submarine sank 27,000 tons of enemy shipping in the Atlantic.”