THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES Thursday, May 22, 1941. THE DEFENCE OF SUEZ

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24613, 22 May 1941, Page 6

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES Thursday, May 22, 1941. THE DEFENCE OF SUEZ

A full month has passed since the German and Italian forces operating from Tripoli pressed across Libya, causing a strategic British withdrawal from Benghazi and actually crossing the Egyptian frontier in the Solium area. General Wavell’s fresh disposition of the British troops in the face of this forceful counteroffensive was unhurried, and indicated that neither confusion nor dismay had been caused by the enemy’s ■ operations. Being placed under the necessity of making a stand with forces that were greatly weakened by the demands of the campaign in Greece, he selected Tobruk as the most suitable strong point on the line of the Italo-German advance. The success farther east, at Solium, which was achieved with comparatively light mechanised units, was of its nature only temporary, pending reinforcements being provided, and Tobruk is excellently situated for the harassing of German troop movements towards this first Egyptian goal. How skilfully General Wavell laid his plans is indicated in the events of the past four weeks. Tobruk still stands as a menace along the German way, and the determined assaults upon this fortress are the best evidence of Nazi reluctance to move on towards Egypt, leaving themselves flanked at ' this vital point. The harbour at Tobruk, though admittedly small, has evidently, in spite of the attentions of the Axis air forces, remained open to British shipping, and there is presumably no difficulty in supplying, and if need be, reinforcing the garrison. Whether Tobruk can be held permanently is not a question of first importance. When Benghazi was conceded to the Italo-German troops the British command announced that it was determined to choose its own battleground. It has never been suggested that Tobruk is more than an isolated stronghold, nor need it be presumed that the British defence hinges on Solium. The resolute stand that has been made at both these points must have been immensely valuable, however, in enabling General Wavell to strengthen the approaches to Suez farther east, where the British had taken up position prior to the sensational success of the Army of the Nile in rolling up Marshal Graziani’s' forces. Through the evacuation of Greece much stronger British forces are now available, and these can be further augmented from Abyssinia. It must be assumed that the Germans are present in very considerable strength in the Solium area, and it is possible that the use of transport planes may have enabled the invaders to some extent to by-pass Tobruk. But they have obviously failed to obtain that command of the air which was desired as a prerequisite to the concentrated attack on Egypt. Indeed, the R.A.F. is proving more than, a match for the Luftwaffe in this theatre. The introduction of American bombers into the constant air warfare that is being conducted against the enemy in Libya is a reminder of the strong aid that is becoming increasingly available to the British. The defence of Egypt from the Libyan assault is, of course, but one of the tasks which have fallen to the forces of the Empire in the Middle East. The threat to Egypt and the Canal has other angles, with the Nazis extending their activities in Iraq and, with the connivance of the Vichy Government, in Syria. But the British have not been caught off guard as these developments tend to widen the area of the conflict. There is now every reason for confidence in the capacity of the British to maintain a stalwart defence of the Suez lifeline. Had the first German advance not been held up at Tobruk and Solium by the gallant skeleton forces then available, there might have been a different story to tell.