BARDIA SIEGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23851, 30 December 1940, Page 8

BARDIA SIEGE

BRITISH MASSING MEN, TANKS, GUNS STEADY BOMBARDMENT Dt'CE'S URGENT ORDER By Telegraph—Tress Association —Copyright (Received December 20, VI .MO p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 29 Apparently-unending lines of lorries are pouring men and materials ■westward from the Libyan front lei for the reinforcement of General W a veil's forces investing l>aidia. A large number of these lorries weie captured from the Italians, and the "British drivers declare the vehicles are excellent. An Italian prisoner stated that the commander at Bardia was prepating to evacuate the port when an urgent order was received direct from Mussolini that he must defend the town at all costs. A message from Cairo savs Marshal Graziani has sent thousands of men to throw up additional fortifications at Tobruk. and the defence oi Rardia is designed to enable the completion ot the work at Tobruk.

Two Win. guns manned by naval gunners are supporting the British licld artillery, and a continuous stream ol heavy tanks and guns is moving up. An army officer said, to a correspondent:. "Wo could go in and take Bardia now, but that would probably cost a good many lives, so we are keeping on hammering at them. 'When we get more tanks up we will get them out of their holes without much trouble." A communique issued from General Headquarters in C liro on Saturday stated: "Concentration of our forces investing Bardia is proceeding smoothly, while our artillery continues to harass the Italian garrison. Operations by our mobile detachments to clear the country to the westward are proceeding.

"Prisoners counted to date since the beginning of operations in the Western Desert • now* number 38.114, of which 24.845 are Italian officers and other ranks. Four additional guns have been captured south of Bardia. On the frontiers of the Sudan and Kenya our patrols have again, been active." PINCH OF BLOCKADE RISINGS IN ABYSSINIA LONDON. Dec. 29 It has been admitted by the Italians that there have been risings in Abyssinia. It is thought that this part of the empire is now beginning to feel the pinch of the blockade. In Italy the death penalty has been provided for cases of hoarding necessary commodities, sabotage and waste. URUGUAYAN GOODWILL BRITISH MISSION'S TALKS SUPPORT FOR OPEN PORT PLAN (Received December 29, 5.35 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, Dec. 2S The departure from Montevideo of the Marquess of Willingdon's mission, en route from Uruguay to Chile, has been marked by appreciative references in the press to the spirit of understanding and goodwill in which the exchanges of views have taken place. The newspaper El Plata declared that important results were achieved toward the fulfilment of the mission's purposes of alleviating, in the friendliest manner, trade difficulties caused by the war, and especially by the blockade, as well as in the discussion of a reconstruction programme for post-war economy, and the promotion of confidence in the continued industrial capacity of Britain. The newspaper El Pais, says a cable message, urges the Uruguayan Government to obey the popular clamour to adopt measures favourable to Britain, including permission for British warships to use the ports for refuelling, victualling and overhauling, without a time limit, similar to measures adopted in 1917,

SINKING OF RHFi?

STORY OF DUTCH CAPIUBE

British Wireless LONDON, Dec. 27 Further information havS been received officially concerning the capture and ultimate destruction of the German ship Bhein (6031 tons), in West Indies waters by the van Kinsbergen, a ship of the Royal Netherlands Navy. A suspicious vessel was sighted by the van Kinsbergen in the early hours of December 11, and was identified with the aid of searchlights as the Bhein. Ordered to stop, the Bhein attempted t-o . escapa in the darkness, but was brought to by a shot fired across her bows. A boarding party was sent over, and the crew of the German ship, who previously had set her on fire in an attempt to scuttle her, was transferred to the van Kinsbergen. After fighting the fire for some hours the Dutchmen found it impossible to save the German ship. Although the attempt to scuttle her had been thwarted the fire had taken too fierce a hold for a boarding party alone to deal with it, and heavy weather prevented attempts to take stronger measures. Accordingly the boarding party was withdrawn and the Bhein sunk by gunfire.

REPLY TO GERMANS

GROWING BRITISH STRENGTH British "VTireless LONDON, Dec. 27 . Commenting on the Christmas flow of Nazi oratory, which it describes as "a verbal offensive," the Times warns General von Brausehitsch, who is "convinced the war is already won." to .ponder on two important diiferences between the sea and the Maginot Line. The sea has no flanks to be turned and is not going to be held by merely passive defence," the Times says. "The xtoyal Air Force is now growing . stronger daily and strikes continually at -she invasion ports and far bevond. A&H powerful than ever, the Naw the sea, and the Army of Duntfijfo>...now the nucleus of a much larger £ " a ready for anything."