ONWARD INTO LIBYA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 183, 21 November 1941, Page 4

ONWARD INTO LIBYA

NEW ZEALAND, with the Empire thrilled with pride at the news of the successful launching of the long anticipated thrust into Libya by Imperial, Indian and New Zealand troops yesterday. "So complete," ran the communique, "were the arrangements for the onslaught at dawn, that the enemy was caught totally unprepared and resistance was scarcely worthy of the name." The news has a special significance for New Zealand. Once more our own boys "are in action. Once more they are to test their steel in the cause of freedom and humanity. This time however, the attack we are assured is perfect in every respect. Months of preliminary training have helped to toughen the warriors of the desert. Complete naval and air support is guaranteed under the joint control of the famous Cunningham brothers. Fifty miles in one day—from dawn till dusk, and this morning's news brings with it details of still greater advances! The information is definitely the best since the fall of Abyssinia to the mixed Anglo-Australian force for it c;on.stitutes the first occasion since the disastrous Greek campaign that the forces of Empire have taken the offensive. We may feel certain that on this occasion there will be no chance of weakness of support from all three branches. Cohesion of command is assured by virtue of the blood-ties between the commanders on sea and land. The success of this carefully .planned campaign, will have far-reaching and almost immediate effect in the Russian and Pacific theatres. Ridding Libya of Axis domination will remove for ever the threat to Egypt. It will also free the' newly constituted Eighth British army for service in the Caucasus where it is obvious the next German attack will be made following the domination of the Crimea. Not only that, but it will leave a new field of operations, open for British arms. Italy, disheartened and disillusioned by the pressure of the Nazi yoke upon herself and her resources is ripe for an armistice, if not for actual conquest. Nearly half a million of her troops are prisoners of war and close on another million are either employed in policing Albania, Greece and Yugoslavia or are directly under Hitler's Generals. Meanwhile the watchful Militarist in the Orient weighs carefully the chances of his active participation in the conflict and the possibilities of his emerging victorious therefrom. The latest move into Cyrenaica is not likely to encourage him and the next few days are likely to be pregnant with great and important

events to come