EGYPT KEY

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1940, Page 8

EGYPT KEY

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.

AXIS WAR PLAN BIG OFFENSIVE LIKELY BRITISH VIGILANCE

London, Sept. 2. The cooler weather, with plenty of cloud, may herald the final launching of Marshal Graziani's delayed Italian offensive against Egypt from Libya, says the Daily Mail's speciai correspondent in the Western Desert. There is a stimulating atmosphere, he says, with heightened vigilance. The British, including New Zealand troops, ar'e on their toes in face of the big Italian. army. The R.A.F., which has been' busy checking up the latest enemy moves, found that Marshall- Graziani's concentrations are still being supplemented alrnost every hour. There are reports of new motorised transport parks and camoufiaged supply dumps along the roads and of-, rpen and guns massed in remote ravines.

Desert Push Indicated. The .Italians, tlie . correspondent adds, are new using more modern ammunition and the latest enemy lorries which have been captured had abnormally large water tanks, indicating a desert push. Graziani, the correspondent goes on, is also . reorganising his forces.' The Libyan division has been consolidated into one group, with unified comniand. The British dispositions and organisation 'have,. been tlioroughly overhauled and the Britislj side of the desert is now more.secret than ever before. Naval and military writers are now drawing increasing attention to the strategic importance of the Middle Eastern theatre of war. "To crush Britain, her enemies would first have to break her ocean communication. That is why Hitler and Mussolini will be forced to make a great assault on Egypt,' and attempt to secure control of the Middle East," sa'ys the Daily Mail. "They will aim first at oil, and secondly at breaking the Empire in halves."