THE NEAR EAST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24424, 9 October 1940, Page 7

THE NEAR EAST

TROOPS IN THE DESERT INTERNATIONAL FIGHTERS ITALIAN ADVANCE AWAITED (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, Oct. 7. (Received Oct. 8, at 11.30 p.rn.) The Cairo correspondent of The Times says; “ International fighters from many parts of Europe are filtering down to the Near East. Australians and New Zealanders find themselves besides. Czechs. Rumanians, Austrians, Finns, and Poles. They have come to carry on then war against Hitiei with cavalry, artillery, infantry, machine-gunners, and anti-aircraft gunners. Under a star'ight sky they mustered at a spol where they will be close at hand when Marshal Graziani really tries to advance into Egypt. They are encamped across 1000 miles of desert. Some under palms now heavily date-laden and some in coves by the sea. while some have burrowed into ancient Roman baths and catacombs. The troops are amused by the Italians’ new trick of using bombs resembling bully beef tins, beer cans, and thermos flasks. The bombs explode when the caps are removed. The troops gathered several thousand of these, which were exploded ir a large dump. Other trophies are Italian motor cycles which led the advance to Sidi Barrani, and British staff officers now bounce across the desert on them. Enemy Bases Bombarded A British naval communique states that naval units bombarded the Italian naval and air base at Stainnalia in the Dodecanese Islands on the night of October 2-3. A Nairobi communicme reports .a clash between a British patrol and a party of the enemy near the Kenya border. The British inflicted some "asnaPies without loss to themselves. A Royal Air Force communique issued in Cairo states; “ The antiaircraft puns at Malta broke up an Italian formation. Fighters shot down one machine and severely (ismncred another. “We bombed Fort Saleaya, 40 south of Galabat, and also hit buildings at Agordat. “The South African Air Force hit a barracks at Mesa. Our aeronlanes returned safely from all operations."