MIDDLE EAST

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23769, 24 September 1940, Page 7

MIDDLE EAST

NAVY AGAIN ACTIVE . SID! BARRANI SHELLED ITALIANS ALSO BOMBED LONDON, Sept. 23 British warships shelled Italian forces at Sidi Barrani in the early hours of yesterday morning, states a message from Alexandria. The results are officially described as "good." • - A Cairo communique states: '-'On Saturday morning Alexandria was bombed by enemy aircraft, causing negligible damage and very few casualties.

"Enemy aircraft again raided Haifa on Saturday afternoon. Bombs were dropped on various quarters of the town, causing a certain amount of damage and hitting a mosque and a Moslem cemetery. Thirty-two persons were killed and 18 injured, all of them Arabs. It is believed that at least two enemy aeroplanes were hit by anti-air-craft fire.

"On other fronts there is nothing to report." Martial law has been declared throughout Egypt, replacing a state of siege which was proclaimed 12 months ago.

Reconnaissance Flights A Royal Air Force communique issued in Cairo states: "A series of reconnaissance flights was carried out •by the Royal Air Force on, Saturday over enemy territory in the western desert. Valuable information was obtained. "Koy'al Air Force bombers raided an aerodrome and troop positions at Sidi Barrani. Bombs burst among the aerodrome buildings close to a group of three enemy fighters. .'Direct hits were registered on a supply dump. All the British aircraft returned safely. "In East Africa, the South African Air Force attacked Birkao. Buildings were bombed and several fires started. A small factory was damaged. Seventy per cent of the buildings are gutted. "Royal Air Force bombers operating from the Sudan raided Tessenei aerodrome. One enemy aircraft, a Caproni 133, was badly damaged by a near miss. "An enemy bomber which attempted to raid Aden on Saturday was driven off and another treated in a similar fashion shortly No damage was done." Italians Admit Raids A Rome communique states: "Our bombing of military objectives in Mersa Matruh caused large fires. Enemy aeroplanes at night raided Sidi Barrani, Tobruk and Derna. Some casualties and small damago were caused. "Our aeroplanes bombed Alexandria naval base, hitting a ship, and also bombed an enemy convoy in the Red Sea, seriously damaging two transports. An Italian patrol raided Isiolo, Kenya. The enemy carried out various attacks on Somaliland."

NO CABINET CRISIS POSITION IN EGYPT AWAITING DEVELOPMENTS LONDON, Sept. 22 The Cairo correspondent of the Times says the Saadist Party withdrew its representatives from the Egyptian Cabinet on the ground that the Government had failed to carry out its undertaking to declare war if Italy invaded Egypt. The Cabinet supports the Premier's contention that the Italian \ occupation of GO miles of waterless desert is unimportant, and does not represent an attack. Should the threat to Egypt increase, the Government's resolution to defend the country will be fulfilled. The Government; now depends on the "Wafdists for support.