EGYPT’S DEFENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23811, 18 May 1939, Page 12

EGYPT’S DEFENCE

STRENGTH EMPHASISED RISK TO AN AGGRESSOR LONDON. May 11. _ Any attack on Egypt by the Axis Powers would be foredoomed to failure provided that Britain could send enough troons and aircraft to assist the Egyptian army and make use of the fortified base at Alexandria for the Navy. . This is the conclusion of Viceadmiral C. V. Usborne. former naval intelligence officer and author of several books on military subjects. It forms part of his comment on the report that General yon Braudiitsch, commander-in-chief of the German Army, is on his way to Libya to plan offensive and defensive dispositions of troops on the Egvptian-Libyan frontiers. The admiral adds that there are now 90,000 Italian troops and a considerable air force in Libya, but if the Italians intend to attack Egypt, thev must leave a considerable force on the Tunisian border. Otherwise a French army would invade and occupy Tripoli. Many Problems for Italians It is also essential, says Viceadmiral Usborne, that the Italians should collect food, petrol, and military stores for the entire campaign, as it is rash to assume that much shipping would reach Libya in wartime. when Britain and France hold the Mediterranean. Moreover, existing supply depots would be speedly bombed from Tunis, Egypt, and Malta, and irreplaceable stores destroyed. A further obstacle is that Libyan natives are dissaffected and the Italians would consequently have to leave troops to maintain order. Probably an army of 60,000, consisting of many tanks, motorised infantry and artillery, would begin to operate against Alexandria or Cairo. Anglo-Egyptian Defences But the army would be forced to drop more lines of communication troops while advancing the 250 miles to Alexandria and the 150 miles inland to Siwah. Meanwhile, Italian aircraft at Libya and Rhodes would attempt to terrorise the Egyptians and deprive the British of the use of Alexandria. They would also attempt to command the sea, so allowing 30.000 reinforcements now waiting at Rhodes, to be transferred to Libya. But the British believe that the Fleet could successfully resist an air attack and the Egyptian army of 30,000 and the British of 10,000 an invasion on the fortified frontier line. Moreover, the 15,000 British troops in Palestine would provide emergency reinforcements for Egypt. Behind them is the British Army in India.

Confidence in Britain’s Position The Indian Army would be able speedily to converge on Egypt by overland and sea routes and could also reinforce the Sudan in the event of a threat from the Italians in Abyssinia. An East Indian squadron could cut the Italian sea communications by the Red Sea. Admiral Usborne, in summing up, says that new secret methods of warfare may be devised, but as far as it is possible to see, Egypt can resist any attack by the present Libyan garrison. In that case the result of a war in the Mediterranean need not be feared by Britain.