Sharp Fighting On Desert Flanks

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 222, 18 September 1940, Page 8

Sharp Fighting On Desert Flanks

ACTION IN AFRICA Italians Have Yet To Reach British Resistance Points

(British Official Wireless.—Rec. 1 p.m.) RUGBY, September 17. Mr. Winston Churchill, in his remarks in the House of made a brief reference to the operations in East Africa. The advance of the Italian Army from Libya is in progress, he said. 'Two British platoons, which have been holding Solium, have been withdrawn. Sharp fighting is taking place upon the desert flanks between armoured vehicles, but the enemy is still at some distance from our position of resistance. We must see what happens." It is officially stated in Cairo, says a cable message, that Italian motonsed columns have occupied Sidi-Barrani and pushed out covering forces to the south and west. A Rome communique, says severe fighting occurred at Sidi Barrani yesterday. The battle is continuing. Using picked motorised units as their spearhead, the Italians continued to push eastward from Bugbug, on the "Mediterranean coast 25 miles inside the Egyptian border, in spite of serious losses, said an earlier message from Cairo. German experts are assisting Marshal Graziani, and many native Libyan units are included in his forces doing consolidation work at Solium. The Italians are following the coastal road, and will have no reason to pause at Bugbug, which at present is depopulated and is without water, ' British warships are stated from Rome to be shelling the road between Libya and Egypt. Royal Air Force Activity. ™d l' communic J ue from Cairo, issued on Monday, R-A.F. bomber and fighter forces were active in Libya and the Western Desert area yesterday. Our fighters shot down six enemy bombers, the loss of which has been confirmed, and probably three others. One of our aircraft failed to return. Last night a large motor transport column was successfully attacked near Bugbug. Numerous petrol fires were started and were visible 100 miles away. An enemy vehicle column, moving eastwards along the track east of Bugbug, was bombed yesterday. Bombs were observed to fall on the column and many fires could be seen 40 miles away. Enemy aircraft attacked one of our aerodromes without result, and did not do any damage. "In. two enemy raids on Malta, immaterial damage was caused and an enemy dive bomber was damaged by our fighters. In Eritrea a bomber attacked Assab naval barracks and fires were started. Direct hits were registered on hangars and buildings in Gurra, and in a further attack in Odiveri and Gurra, aerodromes, hangars and buildings were set on fire, the blaze being visible 50 miles away. jW ; • ••»*"■ •■•■' •• ■**»■ ■■■■■£%« ■■ -.-. ' In spite of poor weather conditions. Asmara was attacked and two big fires were started in aerodrome buildings. A 'plane which attempted to raid Aden was intercepted by our fighters and damaged.. "% '