HEAVY PRICE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 September 1940, Page 6

HEAVY PRICE

EXACTED FROM ITALIANS FOR ADVANCE IN WESTERN DESERT. BRITISH MAIN FORCES AWAITING ATTACK. ißy Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, September 23. The 25-pound guns and the ma-chine-guns of British bombers continue to take advantage of the excellent targets which the Italian supply convoys present in Egypt, while the Italians have no targets in the mobile British units for retaliatory. fire. The enemy is paying a heavy toll for every yard of his advance, and for every gallon of petrol or round of ammunition brought up. Britain’s main desert forces which are based on Mersa Matruh, are awaiting the moment for a major attack, and the Senussi desert tribes are also poised ready to swoop on the Italian rear, flanks, bases and outposts. The Italian column has now repaired the mine-blasted roads from the Libyan escarpment, and other units are penetrating westward along a rough desert track south of the main coastal track in an attempt to protect the main advance and cover the consolidation at Solium and Sidi Barrani. The British are hitting hard and methodically whenever the enemy exposes himself. EGYPT’S ATTITUDE GREAT BRITAIN SATISFIED. LONDON, September 23. it is authoritatively stated that Britain is satisfied with Egypt’s attitude and is confident that she will take all the steps which the developing situation requires. Cairo reports that the Prime Minister, Hassan Sabry, replying to the resignations of the Saadist pro-war members of Cabinet said, “Your fears that the Italians intend to conquer Egypt are exaggerated. Cabinet is opposed to throwing the country immediately into the furnace of war without evident interest or necessity. Our defence preparations are constantly being accelerated.” Another Cairo message states that the authorities have begun rounding up all Italians in the capital as a precaution, and 7000 have already been detained. Similar measures are being taken throughout Egypt, but the newspaper report that martial law has been imposed is denied. MUCH AS IT WAS SITUATION IN WESTERN DESERT. SOME ENEMY BATTERIES SILENCED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.50 a.m.) RUGBY, September 24. A Cairo communique states: “There is no change in the situation in the Western Desert. During Sunday evening, our artillery silenced some enemy batteries. Mersa Matruh was raided four times during Sunday night. There were no casualties. On other fronts there is nothing to report."