ITALIAN FORCE IN EGYPT

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1940, Page 7

ITALIAN FORCE IN EGYPT

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.

BIG BATTLE PROMISED

Received 11.10 p.m. Cairo, September 18. XHE space between the British army and the Italian army in Egypt is steadily narrowing. Light British forces have been flung in to delay the Italians, and there have been some bitter skirmishes in which the Italian casualties have been very heavy. It may be a day or two before a large-scale land action occurs. The Italian advance reveals careful preparation. Water carriers, supply waggons and troop carriers are pressing hard on the heels of the tanks. Squads of sappers are hastily repairing the crater-strewn tracks, and artillery units are rushing up cannon on lorries and mounting them at vantage points along the route. The Royal Air Force has already been in action against two regular divisions, but there are strong Italian forces in reserve. Individual initiative and bravery are enabling the British to score many local successes against immensely superior forces numerically. The enemy's lines -of communication are lengtliening with every yard of the advance, whereas the British lines are diminishing.

"During yesterday and last night the enemy have been engaged in consolidating their positions in and around Sidi Barrani, where they have been heavily and successfully bombed," said a communique issued at Cairo yesterday. "On the other fronts there is nothing to report." / The Italians are moving up, hugging the coastline, and are reported to have reached the oasis of Sidi Omar, 26 miles from Sollum, says the correspondent of the British United Press at Cairo. Two columns which reached Sidi Barrani are reported to have comprised light tanks, of which military experts have not a high opinion. The troops comprised metropolitan forces and no natives. They were strongly supported by artillery mounted on trucks. The Italian water supply was apparently efflcient. enabling a rapid advance although, wells in the vicinity had been rendered useless. "Italian and native troops, continuing their victorious advance, occupied Sidi Barrani and are organising a new base of communications," said an Italian communique issued at Rome. "Native troops have again shown a high quality and absolute loyalty to Italy. Rtubborn Resistance. "We smashed at all points stubborn enemy resistance backed by armoured units. The air force participated in the battle, bombing and machme-gunning the enemy. We shot down five Gloucesters in flames and probably destroyed a sixth. Four Italian planes have not returned. "The enemy raided Benghazi at night, sinking a barge and a torpedo-boat and causing a few fires, and slightly damaged a vessel at Derna. Dive-bombers, escorted by fighters, bombed Micaba in Malta, causing fires and heavy damage. They destroyed at least three grounded planes and shot down two planes which attempted to attack them. "Bombers raided Boma, damaging a small fort and setting fire to an encampment. An Italian reconnaissance plane seriously damaged a British fighter which attacked it over Aden. Planes destroyed one grounded enemy plane at Sarafsied, north-westwards of Gallabat. The enemy raided Assab, Massawa and Diredawa, where a hotel was slightly damaged. Anti-aircraft defences shot down an enemy plane. "A Blenheim bomber landed' by mistake at the Italian airport at Pantellaria. Three members of the crew were taken prisoner. Survivors of a 5800-ton British vessel which an Italian submarine sank in the Atlantic set out for Lisbon." Two Junkers dive-bombers were shot down during a raid on Malta, indicating that Germany is reinforcing the Italian air force, says a Royal Air Force communique issued at Cairo.