INVADING COLUMNS HARRIED

Southland Times, Issue 24237, 21 September 1940, Page 5

INVADING COLUMNS HARRIED

Severe Setback At Sidi Barram ATTACKERS CAUGHT IN FIRST BLUNDER (United Press Association—Telegraph Copyright) (Received September 20, 10.30 p.m.) CAIRO, September 20. While the Italians are consolidating supplies at their advanced positions in Egypt they have not attempted to advance from Sidi Barrani. The bombardment by the three British services has been intensified. The Royal Air Force is now using planes of modern long-range type carrying heavier loads. Long-distance bombing of Ben Ghazi is the first evidence of this new power. It is officially stated that Tuesday’s fighting was much heavier than at first reported. The Italians were pouring into Sidi Barrani too rapidly and made the first blunder in an excellently organized march. Both the Royal Air Force and the artillery caught them before they were ready and plastered congested troop-carriers, supply wagons and tanks. The wreckage was too drastic to be estimated yet.

Light mechanized patrols simultaneously carried out a manoeuvre in which they must now be the world s experts; namely, cutting in with a series of high-speed hit and run raids. Bren gun carriers spurting across the desert at 40 miles an hour ploughed a furrow through a long Italian column and then dashed off in clouds of dust. The Royal Air Force chose this moment for the deepest raids on Libya. For the first time aircraft made the 1000-mile return flights to Ben Ghazi, plastering the aerodrome with high explosive and incendiary bombs. The Royal Air Force has a target along the coast from Sidi Barrani to Ben Ghazi and impartially by sun or moon is bombarding the communications which Marshal Graziani must keep up or fail. He apparently has as many troops as he can handle in Egypt. He is concentrating on the supply situation, particularly petrol and water tank wagons and barrel-laden lorries which lumber across the dusty tracks.