The Italians Enter Egypt

Southland Times, Issue 24234, 18 September 1940, Page 4

The Italians Enter Egypt

TO INVADE or not to invade seems to be a question which circles in the mind of Mussolini as well as ,in the mind of his master, Hitler. While the Germans are doing their best to organize French invasion bases in the intervals between R.A.F. bombing raids, a large force of Italians is beginning to overflow the Libyan-Egyptian frontier. It is. still uncertain if the occupation of Solium, reported yesterday in a message from Cairo, is really the beginning of the widely publicized march on Alexandria. The Italians have shown no signs of precipitate or rapid movement. Foimany weeks armies estimated to number 250,000 have been established in Libya. The African end of their sea communications has been heavily bombed at Tobruk, and there have been frequent air attacks on troops and supply concentrations. After a long period of waiting, however, the Italians have now advanced across the Egyptian frontier. According to official circles in Rome, the attack on Alexandria is expected to take one, or, at the most, two months. In spite of these actions and announcements, the Cairo correspondent of the British United Press is still not sure if the invasion of Egypt proper has begun. There have been so many reports of British withdrawals to prepared positions (a formula used by the Germans in the last war, and regarded in England as a synonym for defeat) that news of Italy’s occupation of Solium may be received with misgivings. This is one case, however, where the formula can be used without unpleasant implications. Solium is just across the frontier, and it was evacuated by British troops six weeks ago. Buq-Buq, towards which the Italians are said to be advancing, is about 20 miles from Solium, and the route is not defended. The real outpost of Egypt is the railhead at Mersa Matruh. Between this position.and the Libyan border lies a strip of country entirely without modem communications. It is, in fact, a formidable desert. To invade Egypt successfully the Italians must face strongly fortified positions at Mersa Matruh, and to approach the railhead they must pass along a coastal road which can

be swept by naval guns from • the Mediterranean.

Perhaps it is not surprising, therefore, that the Italians should have hesitated so long, and that they are now advancing somewhat tentatively. At no time have they had anything like a local superiority in the air. Their navy makes no attempt to accept the challenge of British warships. Indeed, if they seriously intend to invade Egypt it is hard to understand why Britain was allowed to take a large convoy of troop and supply ships to the eastern Mediterranean. A serious attack on this convoy could have been the equivalent of a military success. Thus even now, with Italians actually across the frontier, the invasion has an air of unreality. Yet it is important to remember that, although Italy has a weak air force and a shy navy, she has large resources in man-power; and the North African army is led by Marshal Graziani, a skilled and experienced soldier. If Mussolini is prepared to take much greater risks than hitherto, the Egyptian campaign will not have to be treated lightly.