NAVAL BOMBARDMENT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 251, 20 September 1940, Page 7

NAVAL BOMBARDMENT

ITALIAN ADVANCE HAMPERED

SUCCESSFUL BRITISH ACTIONS

(United Press Association. —Copyright.—Rec. 10.40 a.m.)

(British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, Sept. 19

Details of naval operations against the Italians in East Africa are contained in an Admiralty communique.

The initial report from the Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean (Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham) indicates that units of the Royal Navy continue to harry the northern flank of the Italian advance from Libya. On the night of September IT one of our naval units bombarded the coast road to Solium at close range. Simultaneously, other units attacked the enemy concentrations at Sidi Barrani. SHIPPING ATTACKED. ' “

The Commander-in-Cbief of the Mediterranean reports that both these bombardments appear to have had considerable success.

Benghazi (in Cyrenaica) was attacked by aircraft,.of the Fleet Air Ann on September 16. The Commander-in-Chief reports that during this- attack one merchant ship was set on fire and one destroyer probably sunk. Several other ships were damaged. Yesterday’s Italian communique admitted that a torpedo-boat and pon toon had been sunk and a few fires started at Benghazi. Concurrent with these operations off the Libyan coast naval operations have been carried out in other areas. In the course of these operations no enemy naval forces could he located. In the North-Eastern Mediterranean one of our convoys and escort warships were several times unsuccessfully attacked by aircraft. , To-day’s communique from headquarters in Cairo states : “There is no change in the situation in Egypt and the enemy continues to consolidate his positions in the Sidi Barrani and Solium areas. On the other fronts there is nothing to report.' 1

VIOLENT CLASHES.

ITALIANS ENGAGED.

ENEMY’S HEAVY LOSSES

CAIRO, Sept. 18. The space between the British and Italian armies is steadily narrowing. Light British forces have been flung in to delay the Italians, and there have been some bitter skirmishes in which the Italian casualties have been very heavy.

The Italian advance reveals careful preparation. Water-carriers, supply wagons and troop-carriers are pressing hard -on the heels of the tanks. Squads of sappers are hastily repairing the crater-strewn tracks, and artillery units are rushing up cannon on lorries and mounting them at vantage points along the route. The R.A.E. has already been in action against two regular divisions, hut there are strong Italian forces in reserve.

It may be a day or two before a large-scale land action occurs Individual initiative and bravery are enabling the British to score many local successes against immensely superior forces numerically. Tlie enemy’s lines of communication are lengthening with every yard of his advance, whereas ours are diminishing. An R.A.E. communique states that two Junkers dive-bombers have been shot down on Malta, indicating that Germany is reinforcing the Italian Air Force.