HARD BLOW FOR ITALY

Southland Times, Issue 24355, 8 February 1941, Page 7

HARD BLOW FOR ITALY

“WAVELL IS A WIZARD” (United Press Association—Telegraph Copyright) (Received February 7, 11 p.m.) LONDON, February 7. Benghazi, the important Italian base on the Libyan coast, 150 miles west of Derna, has fallen to the Army of the Nile. Thus another shattering blow has been dealt to Fascist power in Africa. The fall of Benghazi is further proof of the undiminished striking power of General Wavell’s Army, and it means that the whole of Cyrenaica is now in British hands. It is stated that the British troops who captured Benghazi covered about 60 miles in 48 hours bringing the total mileage in one week to 160. Such swift action reflects great credit on the staff which planned, and on the troops which carried out, the operation. A message from Cairo stated that news of the fall of Benghazi came as a thunderbolt. Even military experts were surprised at the speed of its capture and on all sides the opinion was heard that “Wavell is a wizard.” An earlier message from London dated February 6, said: The British tonight are streaming 10 miles beyond Cyrene towards Barce. This phase, at present, looks like a complete walk-over for the Army of the Nile. Not a shot was fired all day. Powerful resistance was expected four miles beyond Guba, but, despite anti-tank trenches and a double row of land-mines, there was no sign of opposition. A special correspondent of The Times at Guba says that ugly scenes occurred between the retreat of the Italians and the arrival of the British. Libyans, loathing the Italians, swarmed into Guba looting, burning and destroying.