SLOW ITALIAN ADVANCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 261, 2 October 1940, Page 7

SLOW ITALIAN ADVANCE.

BRITISH ARMY WAITING

LONDON, Oct. 1. According to a correspondent' of the Daily Telegraph who * travelled 200 miles by road from Alexandria to the defence line in the Western Desert, the British Army is patiently waiting to do battle with the Italian forces. “Just one hour’s drive from here," lie writes, “across the savage, broken plain, Mussolini has piled up a store of arms ready to break’ on Egypt. Masses of Italian army vehicles are gathered in the Sidi Barrani sector. “Red-cloaked Bedouin tribesmen are leading their flocks and little groups of timid, sloe-eyed wives deeper into the desert for safety. Here and there a camel has blundered on a landmine and its carcase lies rotting in the sun. “The gunnery of the Italians is good, a British brigadier told me. They use artillery very quickly and soundly, and also handle motor-cycles and sidecars effectively. The mass of them ride about 30*00 yards ahead of an advancing column, and disperse among, the rocks when they confront opposition, and await their supports. But the whole Italian advance has been slow, simple, and laboured, covering only about five miles a day.".. The correspondent adds that dugouts have been increased and deepened. The defenders have become immune from attack from the air, but not from rate, which infest the trenches. Feverish work is proceeding on the construction of roads'west of Sidi Barrani, but our bombers are constantly harassing the roadmen. . . The correspondent revisited the British advanced position which .has'been closed for some months. He noted extensive improvements to the defences, rendering them almost impregnable, and also saw unmistakeable evidence of the strengthening of the whole of the Egyptian defences during his 200-mile journey across the desert.