LIBYA AT WAR

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21173, 24 July 1940, Page 12

LIBYA AT WAR

ITALY’S AFRICAN COLONY “ROMAN WALL” ON FRONTIER MANY LANDING FIELDS With New Zealand troops now in an active theatre of war as Italy ( masses her colonial forces to strike / at the British Empire, perhaps through Egypt, the importance of Libya looms large in the strategies of the Allies. Already the Royal , Air Force has struck swift and dead- ‘ ly blows at Italy’s air power in this vast North African colony. Italy has, over a long period of years, expended prodigious energy in the development of Libya. Forts, flying fields, and petrol pumps almost inevitably strike the traveller as its , predominant characteristics. , It was in September, 1911, that Italy invaded Tripoli, then in Turk- ' ish possession, and drove out the Turkish and Arab forces. Italian authority was established in this , section the following year, but domination of the entire country was, however, far from complete for many years. In 1922 the Italians were forced to come to terms with the Senussi of the interior and allow the Senussi Emir to rule Jarabub and Kufra. Then, in 1933, they overcame the Senussi and occupied Kufra them- ( selves. Barren Territory Whether or not Italy has derived i any great benefits from the posses- j sion of this rather barren tract of territory is a moot point, but she seems determined to colonise it, and j for many years has been putting j into practice the most grandiose plans of mass settlement. Two years ago 1900 families, comprising about 20,000 people, sailed from Italy simultaneously in order to take up residence on the small holdings that had been prepared for them by the Black Shirt pioneers. When they arrived at their new homes they found them fully ready for occupation, and even the larders were well stocked. The initiator of the scheme was i the late Marshal Italo Balbo, Libya’s energetic Governor, whose task in recent years has been the strengthen- : ing of the colony’s defences, particularly along the border facing Tunis. He has also supervised the building of the great strategic road 1 that runs right along the coast from ] the Tunisian boundary to the Egyp- j | tian boundary. > i Since 1938 the four provinces of j Libya—Tripoli, Miserati. Berghasi I and Derna —have been included in i the national territory of Italy by decrees of the Fascist Grand Coun- : oil. ! Mechanised Forces During the Abyssinian war Italy ! greatly increased the strength of her ; forces in Libya and assembled, over ' 30,000 men, mostly mechanised, near j the Egyptian frontier. Italy had ! already, in 1932, constructed a barb- ! od wire fence along 200 miles of the ! northern part of the Italo-Egyptian frontier. “During several cruises down Libi ya’s untempting seaboard,” wrote Major Leonard Hardley in an English publication, “I have been struck ! primarily by the heroic energy with ■ which Italy occupies the arid hinter--1 land .... The rnartime zone is the i only one which encourages any form !of western colonisation. Beyond lie the sub-desert and the desert ! zones, leadin' by little-travelled caravan tracks over limitless miles of desolation, which are quite impracticable for western habitation. The Mediterranean zone contains some of the most fertile oases in North ; Africa—rich with date palms, orange i and olive groves.” ! Of the frontier defences Major | Hardley wrote: “A great battlement, j i like the Roman Wall, serpentined j i across the distant mountains, pro- | tected from theoretical savage in- j I cursion from an empty desert by a j forest of bai-bed wire. An occasional j i blockhouse interrupted this continual | i belt of wire. Libya watches a com- j ! paratively unpeopled desert with | ■ normally a corps of colonial troops | i numbering 500 officers, 700 non- j ! comissioner officers and 10,000 men. ; I One could not help contrasting the 1 : apparently casual military occupa- j tion of the Indian north-west fron- ! 1 tier with a mere skeleton of troops, j i a handful of kassadars and a comI nlete absence of Roman Wall.” Desert Barrier j if Egypt were attacked from | Libya the invaders would have to cross 500 miles of desert. The desert j.-, Egypt's strongest defence. ThereI fore the danger is from the air, and since war broke out last year extensive air raid shelters have been 1 built in the cities and A.R.P. training has been carried out. In Alexandria ancient Roman aqueducts, many , feet, underground, are being used as I shelters. Egypt, with her efficient army and ■ heavy concentration of Allied troops I is ready for any thrust that may be ; made from Libya.