AFRICAN FRONT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 252, 21 September 1940, Page 7

AFRICAN FRONT

SITUATION UNCHANGED

TERSE CAIRO REPORT

(United Press Association—Copyright.) (Bee. Noon.) LONDON, Sept. 20. A communique issued at Cairo headquarters to-day states: There is no change in the situation in the Western Desert. On the other fronts there is nothing to report.”

An R.A.F. communique issued in Cairo on Friday states: “Last night a formation of our bombers flew through a heavy anti-aircraft barrage successfully and attacked the shipping at Benghazi harbour. Three large ships were seen to be on fire as d result of the bombing. A concentration of enemy transports near Sidi Barrani was bombed for four hours. In Abyssinia the Diredawa aerodrome was attacked, bombs falling and starting a fire ill a hangar. Enemy fighters took off, but failed to press home their attack. Enemy aircraft attempted a night raid on Aden, causing slight damage to buildings in the suburbs. There were no casualties. The aircraft were driven off by anti-aircraft fire. South African aircraft carried out extensive reconnaissances over Southern Abyssinia and Italian Somaliland.” r ARABS FAVOUR BRITAIN.

A message from Aden, describing an air raid by a single Italian aircraft in the early hours of Thursday, says four bombs were dropped. There were no casualties, and damage, ' which was slight, was caused only to one building. In a second raid later the same day ai. the bombs fell harmlessly into the sea. Advices from Aden also refer to reliable reports reaching there from Assab and Massawa (Eritrea) which show that the sympathies of the local Arabs are with Britain. They have been greatly impressed by the accuracy of R.A.F. bombing of military targets, which have proved sparing of the lives of civilians nearby. From the same course, it is understood, the fires started at Assab by R.A.F. raids last Sunday and Monday burned for three days. SEVERE DISORGANISATION.

While the Italians are consolidating their supplies they have not attempted to advance from Sidi Barrani. Marshal Graziani boasts that his men have marched and fought with only a litre of water daily. However, despite Marshal Graziani’s confidence, the Italians are suffering severely from an unceasing bombardment from land, sea and air which is taking a heavy toll of men and machines and playing havoc among tile supply convoys. The bombardment by the three British services has been intensified. The R.A.F. is now using planes of a modern long-range type, carrying heavier loads a long distance. The bombing of Benghazi is the first evidence of their new power. It is officially stated that Tuesday’s fighting was much heavier than at first reported. The Italians, pouring into Sidi Barrani too rapidly, made the first blunder of an'-excellently-or-ganised march. Both the R.A.F. and the artillery caught them before they were ready and solidly plastered the congested troop-carriers, supply wagons and tanks. The wreckage is too drastic to be yet estimated.. BREN-GUNS ACTIVE.

Light mechanised patrols simultaneously carried out a manoeuvre in which they must now be the world’s experts, namely, cutting in with a series of high-speed hit-and-run raids. Bren-gun carriers, spurting across the desert at 40 miles an hour, ploughed a furrow through a long Italian column and then dashed oil' in clouds of dust. The R.A.F. chose this moment lor its deepest raids on Libya- For the first time it mad-e 1000-mile return flights to Benghazi, roasting the aerodrome with high exnlosive and incendiary bombs. The R.A.F. now lias a target along the coast from Si.di Barrani to Benghazi, and impartially by sun and moon it is bombarding the communications which Marshal Graziani must keep up or fail. Marshal Graziani apparently has as many troops as he can handle in Egypt. He is concentrating on the supply situation, particularly petrol and water. Tank wagons and barrel-laden lorries lumber across the dusty tracks. Tlve Cairo correspondent of the Times says the Italian invasion is causing a violent anti-Italian reaction. People are demanding that the Government take a more active part in the war and the movement for a clear-cut declaration of war is growing daily. A Rome communique states: A reconnaissance patrol bombed. and sank a British submarine. In Northern Africa the British raided Derna, Bomba, Tobruk and Solium, causing slight damage. A British merchantman damaged in the Aegean Sea has arrived at Pyraeus on fire. She has been docked. We bombed enemy troops at Wadi Husu (north-west of Galabat). The British raided Diredawa and Yavello.

ITALIANS’. TASK

BATTERED BY NAVY

The opinion that the communique announcing “no change” in the African situation was rather an understatement was expressed by a commentator in the Daventry broadcast today. There had, in fact, been a distinct change in the last day or so, and the whole situation might flame up into one of major importance. The Italians, said the speaker, never undertook anything unless they saw profit for themselves. Marshal Graziani had undertaken a flank march in the face of an unbroken force—in this instance the force of the Royal Navy, which presented very dangerous opposition. The Italian armies had to be organised for a march of 350 miles from Italian Libya to Alexandria, nearly all the route being a desert road.' Every tin of petrol, every shell, and every cartridge had to be transported along that road. The 700 miles from Tripoli to Solium were not only under heavy fire from the R.A.F., but at the most critical points touched the coast to come under the point-blank range of the Royal Navy. Three days ago the R.A.F. had heavily attacked Benghazi, causing great fires, and the reactions from this attack had gone, through the whole of the Italian army, holding up their advance. Having to carry water for men marching in a temperature of 120 deg. F„, the enemv had so far succeeded in advancing only 70 miles, and there were another 70 miles to go before they encountered their first real resistance. There were few similar marches- on record, and it would be interesting to she whether "Marshal Graziani could confound military theory under such exceptional circumstances.