INITIAL SUCCESS GAINED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 11 December 1940, Page 5

INITIAL SUCCESS GAINED

FIGHTING IN EGYPTIAN 1 DESERT British Imperial Forces Assume Offensive FORWARD MOVE TO DRIVE ENEMY TO COAST Further Developments Eagerly Awaited

[British Official Wireless] (Received 1 Ith December, 10.20 a.m.) RUGBY, 1 oth December. Further development in the Egyptian desert fighting is eagerly awaited following the publication in Cairo of two brief communiques yesterday. The operations undoubtedly met with initial success, but in the best-informed military quarters there is reluctance to anticipate events. The fighting is taking place on the eastern side of a roughly rectangular area bounded in the north by the sea between Solium and Sidi Barrani and extending about 25 miles southwards. In this area the enemy is holding a number of perimeter camps, all strongly fortified and provided with anti-tank defences. Two of these have been entered by British troops. A communique issued by General Headquarters in Cairo states: “Operations in the western desert are successfully continuing. Prisoners so far captured are reported to exceed 4000; also a number of medium tanks have been taken. * .“In the Sudan, in the Gallabat area, patrolling activity supported by artillery fire continues.” THE NEW THREAT TO ITALY I United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] (Received 1 Ith December, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, 1 oth December. While the Italian High Command is still endeavouring to settle down to the recent changes and to the reverses in Albania, it has found a new threat in Africa from the British Imperial Forces, which have launched the biggest operations of the war in that theatre. It is understood in London that the new operations comprise an infiltration movement with the object of driving the Italians to the coast where the Royal Navy and the Air Force will make their positions hopeless. The present Italian front extends for 30 miles. The Royal Navy and the Air Force are co-operating with the land forces in the attack. SECRET PREPARATIONS NECESSARY CAIRO, 9th December. The British desert forces this morning struck at the Italians on a broad front in the Sidi Barrani region. The action can be described more as a great raid than as a general offensive, though it is likely to lead to something more extensive. This latest action required considerable preparations, which were carried out with the greatest secrecy. The troops had to cross eight miles of no-man’s-land. Supplies, including petrol, were taken up at dead of night and buried in the sand, all this being achieved without the knowledge of the Italians —at least they were not disturbed by the preparations. When the preparations were complete the British attacked the camp of Mabeya, southward of Sidi Barrani, at dawn this morning and completed the operation at 10 a.m., while other units were advancing in other parts of the same region. General Headquarters reported that it was satisfied with the early operations, and indicated that an extension of the action will depend partly on the vigour of the opposition encountered. The fighting in the Western Desert is continuing to-night and the present activity is on the largest scale of any British operations in Africa since the outbreak of the war. The operation is mainly directed against the Italians on the right flank along the top of the escarpment between 15 to 20 miles from the coast.

C-IN-C GIVES THE NEWS The Commander-in-Chief of the Briti. i Forces in the Middle East, General Sir Archibald Wavell, personally gave the British, American and Turkish war correspondents the first news of the British attack less than four hours after its commencement. Leaning cross-legged against a desk with both hands in his pockets, General Wavell said: “Gentlemen, I asked you her? to tell you that our forces began to carry out an engagement against the Italian armies in the western desert at J.awn. Two hours ago I received word that we had captured an Italian camp.” ITALIAN AIRCRAFT DESTROYED An R.A.F. communique issued in Cairo discloses that 18 Italian aircraft were destroyed and protnbly another four in operations in support of the armies’ movement. Only three R.A.F. aircraft failed to return to their base and the pilots of two wer» saved. Reconnaissance flights reported large fires west of Buqbuq and in other areas motor transport burning on the roads was causing dislocation of enemy troop movements.