ITALIAN FORCES BOMBARDED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24409, 21 September 1940, Page 11

ITALIAN FORCES BOMBARDED

UNCEASING ATTACK LAND, SEA AND AIR INVADERS’ FIRST REVERSE (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, Sept. 20. (Received Sept. 20. at 11 p.m.) Marshal Graziahi boasts that his men marched and fought with only a litre of water a day. Despite JVlarshal Graziani’s confidence, however, 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 supply convoys. The Cairo correspondent of The Times says: ‘The Italian invasion is causing violent anti-Italian reaction. ■ The 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 every day.” While the Italians are consolidating their supplies they have not attempted to advance from Sidi Barrani. The bombardment by the three British services has intensified, and the R.A.F. is now. using planes of a modern long-range type, carrying heavier loads ovei a long distance. The bombing of Benghazi was the first evidence of the new power.

It is officially stated that yesterday’s fighting was much heavier than was at first reported. The Italians, pouring in to Sidi Barrani too rapidly, made their first blunder and an excellently organised attack by both the R.A.F. and artillery caught them before they were ready and solidly plastered congested troop carriers, supply wagons and tanks. The wreckage is tod drastic to be estimated yet. 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 off in clouds of dust. The R.A.F. chose this moment for the deepest raids on Libya and for the first time made 1000-mile return flights to Benghazi, roasting the aerodrome with high, explosive, and incendiary bombs. The R.A.F. .now has targets along the coast.from Sidi Barrani to Benghazi and impartially, by the sun and the moon is bombarding communications which Marsha] 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. Barrel-laden lorries lumber across dusty tracks. •

’ It is reported that on Monday night three Italian , planes bombed a British casualty hospital on the road to Mersa-Matruh. There were no casualties, but considerable damage was done to tents and, wagons. It was a moonlight night; find the camp was clearly marked, so That there could have been ho possibility of a mistake. Y The Navy’s Part . V Although the Italian advance is . now<seven days old, them 5 f6i*ces ‘ar6 still in the main at Sidi-Barrahi, The Royal Nayy ’■shelled Benghazi, 300 ..miles east of,Solium. In this attack and an air. attacks considerable damage was done to hangars and .other military objectives. Ah air attack was also made on a base and Hangars on the island of Rhodes. A pilot said that 16 tons of high explosives and incendiaries were dropped dri three targets, and: the damage must have been terrific. ■ Details. of the naval operations against the Italians in East Africa are contained in an Admiralty communique ‘which reads: The initial report from, the Commander-in-Chief; in .■ The Mediterranean, indicates that imits of the Royal Navy continue.to harry the northern flank of the Italian advance from Libya. On the night of September 17 one of our naval units bombarded the coast road to Solium at close range. Simultaneously other units attacked enemy concentrations at Sidi Barani. The Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean reports that both

these bombardments appear to have had considerable success.

Benghazi was attacked by aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm on September 16. The Commander-in-Chief reports that during this attack one merchant ship was set on fire and orte destroyer was probably sunk. Several other ships were damaged. Yesterday’s Italian communique admitted that a torpedo boat and a pontoon' 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 .enemv naval forces could be located. In the north-eastern Mediterranean one of our convoys and escort warships were several times unsuccessfully attacked by aircraft. .... ' Turkish Condemnation Turkish newspapers condemn the Italian invasion of Egypt, One compares the effort with the Turkish invasion of Egypt in the last war, and remarks that even if the Italians overcome all the natural obstacles it is doubtful if their troops, tired from the terrific efforts, could face the fresh British troops The action of the leader of the Senoussi in urging his people to resist the Italians is said to be tantamount to a declaration of war on Italy by the Arabs and the Islamic world.