GOOD TARGETS

Evening Star, Issue 23690, 25 September 1940, Page 9

GOOD TARGETS

ITALIAN SUPPLY CONVOYS BRITISH TAKE HEAVY TOLL MAJOR ACTION NOW AWAITED Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, September 23. Twenty-five-pound guns, machine guns, and bombers continue to take advantage of the excellent targets which the Italian supply convoys present in Egypt, while the Italians have no targets in the mobile British units for retaliatory fire. The Italians pay a heavy toll for every yard of the advance and for every gallon of petrol or round of ammunition brought up. Britain’s main desert forces, based at Mersa Matruh, await the moment for the major attack. The Senussi desert tribes are also poised ready to swoop on the Italian rear flanks, bases, and outposts. The Italian column has now repaired the mine-blasted roads from the Libyan escarpment, and other units are penetrating westward along the rough desert track south of the main coastal track in an attempt to protect the main advance and cover the consolidation of Solium and Sidi Barrani. The British hit hard and methodically whenever the enemy exposes himself. EGYPTIAN PRECAUTIONS. A Cairo message states that the authorities have begun rounding up all the Italians in the capital as a precaution. Seven thousand are already detained. Similar measures are being taken throughout Egypt, but a newspaper report that martial law has been imposed is denied. ENEMY BATTERIES SILENCED NO MATERIAL CHANGE IN SITUATION (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 24. (Received September 25. at 10.50 a.m.) A Cairo communique states that there is no change in the situation in the Eastern Desert. During Sunday evening our artillery silenced some enemy batteries. Mersa Matruh was raided four times during Sunday night. There were no casualties. On the other fronts there is nothing to report. TWO RAIDS ON TOBRUK WIDE RANGE OF R.A.F. FORAYS (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 24. (Received September 23, at 1.40 p.m.) A Royal Air Force communique issued in Cairo on Tuesday stated: “ On Sunday our bombers attacked enemy aircraft on the Menastir landing ground. All the bombs fell in the target area. Yesterday a second attack was delivered, and three explosions were seen among the aircraft, followed by fires. ‘ Two raids were made on Tobruk Harbour yesterday. In the first bombs burst among buildings and on the jetty. During the second attack bombs were observed to fall on buildings and very close to ships moored alongside the jetty. “ Zola, in Eritrea, was attacked on the night of September 21 There was a direct hit on buildings, and a fire 'broke out immediately. Four other fires visible from a distance'of 20 miles were started in the centre of a camp. Yesterday a successful attack made on technical buildings and the aerodrome at Mai Abaga resulted in direct hits on buildings and aircraft on the ground, two fighters being definitely destroyed. “ Aircraft of the South African Air Force raided Sciasciamanna, Central Abyssinia, on September 22. An enemy bomber on the ground was destroyed.” ITALIAN CDMMUNIQUE ROME, September 24. (Received September 25, at 11.25 a.m.) A communique states: “We again bombed Mersa Matruh successfully. The British bombarded Tobruk and OBardia. Slight damage was done. We bombed the Port Sudan aerodrome and also attacked the Aden airport. The British bombed a number of our aerodromes, including Gurai Diredawa. Adiugri. Sciasa, and Oanna.”