FREE FRENCH ATTACK
OFFENSIVE IN SOUTHERN LIBYA FORCES FROM CHAD, WITH AIR SUPPORT [ British Official Wireless. J RUGBY, Feb. 11. A communique issued from the headquarters in London of the Free French leader, General C. de Gaulle, states: "Our forces from Chad, supported by our air force are continuing successful operations in Southern Libya. A motorised column under Colonel Ceclerc gained ground by taking several oases tn the Kufra area. “On Friday, after a very successful bomoing raid carried out by our squadrons, in which they destroyed important objectives and numerous aeroplanes on the ground, an Italian air base was stormed. The enemy suffered heavy losses of men and material. Our operations are still progressing satisfactorily Kufra, an important military post, was a base of first importance for Italian communications between Libya and Abyssinia. It is also a religious centre of the great Mohammedan sect. Six hundred miles of desert separate Kufra from the Chad frontier and the desert in this part of the Sahara is exceptionally difficult for operations. A message from Vichy states that the French Government, for the first time, permitted a reference to Free French successes when a British United Press cabled report was circulated in Vichy, stating that a Free French column captured a strong Italian garrison and gendarmes.
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Bibliographic details
Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 37, 13 February 1941, Page 6
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214FREE FRENCH ATTACK Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 37, 13 February 1941, Page 6
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