PATROLS WEST OF TOBRUK

Southland Times, Issue 24338, 20 January 1941, Page 5

PATROLS WEST OF TOBRUK

BRITISH ENCOUNTER NO ITALIANS (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received January 19, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, January 18. British patrols in Libya now travel 90 miles west of Tobruk before meeting Italians. Derna is the next point ot Italian resistance, but the intervening stretches are empty of defenders. The British now control an area of Libya 150 miles square with only two islands of resistance, namely, Tobruk and Jarabub. The furthest main point of British penetration is Gazala, consisting of a roadside blockhouse with twin aerodromes on each side of the road. The British found 23 unserviceable Italian planes hereabouts. This corner of Libya is rapidly returning to normal. Italian planes are rarely seen and the Bedouins who were evacuated to Egypt are returning to their desert homeland in the wake of the British army. The Times correspondent on the Italian frontier says that Mussolini, in an effort to close up breaches between the Fascists and the army, has made daily conciliatory visits in the last four days to those wounded from Albania. Crown Prince Umberto’s promotion to the rank of general is similarly an effort to close the differences between the Fascists and the Royal family, which is reputedly bitterly hostile to Fascism. Diplomatic circles believe the promotion is an attempt to kill rumours that the Royal family is awaiting the first opportunity to overthrow the Fascist regime.