ITALIANS LEAVE DERNA

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21872, 27 January 1941, Page 5

ITALIANS LEAVE DERNA

NILE ARMY PUSHES ON

General WaveU’s Plans Unknown

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received January 27, 11.50 p.m.) LONDON, January 26. General WaveU’s advanced forces are within a few miles of the first adequate water supplies in the Libyan desert which are west of Dema. This, with a good metalled coastal road runs approximately straight from Tobruk to Benghazi and Mekeili. Derna is not elaborately fortified and has a tiny harbour. The Italians continue to move their air force westward.

It is doubtful whether anyone outside General Sir Archibald WaveU’s closest advisers know the leader’s future hopes and plans. Tobruk’s fall has virtually opened the door to Oyrenaica, the whole of which, the German radio stated, may fall into British hands. The Italian forces are so reduced that It Is doubtful whether they will be able to offer any formidable resistance. The Cairo correspondent of "The Times" comments that it It probable that no postiions in Cyrenaica are fortified as strongly as were Bardia and Tobruk because Marshal Graziani was so sure of the frontier posts that he deemed it unnecssary to establish deeper defences. General Wavell to-day made a tour of inspection of Tobruk. Smoke from smouldering buildings and burning fuel dumps hangs like a pall over the town. A Cairo communique states: “By last evening the advanced elements of our forces were in contact with the enemy about three miles east of Derna. A column of enemy medium tanks was engaged and dispersed, two being captured and four destroyed. Operations are developing successfully. At Tobruk the count of prisoners is proceeding. It Is anticipated that these number not less than 20,000 In addition to large quantities of guns and material of all categories which is being sorted out and checked. In Eritrea operations east of Keru and Aicota are progressing satisfactorily. So far more than 600 prisoners, including one brigade commander, have been taken, also two guns and many motor transport vehicles. East of Metemna, in Abyssinia, pressure on the enemy is increasing. Deeper in the country Itself further patriot successes are reported and more Italian posts .are being abandoned. In Kenya progress continues to be made ejecting enemy detachmenets from our side of the frontier. In several areas our patrols are now operating well across into enemy territory. The Cairo correspondent of the British United Press says an air reconnaissance shows that the Italians left Derna before the British patrols approached. The Italian communique announcing that the final resistance of their forces at Tobruk has been overcome gives the strength of the garrison as one infantry division, one battalion of frontier guards, one battalion of black shirts and some detachments of sailors and artillery, altogether a total of 20,000.

The communique added: "Our artillery continued firing until the last projectile was spent and caused large losses among the enemy. Our losses in men and material were heavy. The communique added that German and Italian ’planes attacked a British naval squadron off Crete and scored hits among warships.”

Inspection of Tobruk Reuter’s Correspondent at Tobruk states that General Wavell, who directed the brilliant campaign in Libya, carried out an inspection of the captured town’s fortifications. He went round dumps and buildings which ware still blazing.

Although Tobruk has been taken General Wavell is not standing still. Great army divisions are operating in the Western Desert 100 miles west of Tobruk.

A message from Cairo states that the troops are continuing the westward advance. Athough the Italians and Germans are doing their best to minimise the British successes at Tobruk, it is only a matter of time before the whole of East Libya will fall into British hands.

General Wavell has sent a cable to Sydney congratulating Australia on the part her troops had taken in the assault on Tobruk. The assault was executed with great dash and brilliancy by the Australian troops and British tanks.