“MOPPING UP”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 December 1940, Page 5

“MOPPING UP”

PROCEEDING IN DESERT HUGE BATTLE AREA. SOME PAUSE IN OPERATIONS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.15 a.m.) RUGBY, December 13. Military circles in London, comment on the operations in the Western Desert, where, on a 420 square mile battlefield, British forces are engaged in “mopping up” pockets of resistance where they are found amongst the scattered and disorganised Italian troops. It is pointed out that a pause in operations, or even no further news, should cause neither surprise nor disappointment, when the activities of the last five days are considered in their proper perspective, as well as the task immediately before the British troops. The great distance traversed in a waterless country makes dealing with as many as 20,000 prisoners a task of difficulty, while five days of desert fighting and travelling over long distances impose a severe strain on men and machines alone, necessitating a rest to repair and overhaul. Military circles lay special emphasis upon the smoothness of organisation, without which, they say, the operations could not have been conducted with such outstanding success and which was the result of careful and lengthy preparations and training. It is revealed that the officer in command in the Western Desert and therefore in particular control of recent operations is Major-General R. N. O’Connor. This British general holds the Italian silvermedal for valour. The Greek President of the Council (General Metaxas) has asked the British Minister to Athens to transmit to the British Prime Minister his warmest congratulations on the brilliant successes achieved by the British Army against the Italian forces in Egypt. General Metaxas adds: “I am convinced that the development of this offensive will be of capital importance and will mark a decisive stage in our common struggle against Italy. The whole of Greece is following with the deepest admiration the magnificent onrush of your troops and joins with all its heart in the joy of the noble British nation at their brilliant successes.” Elation over the British victory in the Western Desert is generally reflected in London Press comment. “The. Times” says: “The booty is certain to be enormous, because the Italians had been building up an advanced base in the hope of resuming their offensive against Egypt. It is not the victory alone, not the removal of menace to Egypt alone, which will hearten the whole Empire and all our friends outside it. There will also be universal delight in the boldness of General Wavell's conception and the masterly skill of planning and the co-opera-tion of the R.A.F., which blinded the enemy in the skies.”

OFFICIAL REPORT OPERATIONS DEVELOPING SATISFACTORILY. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.15 a.m.) RUGBY. December 13. Operations against the Italians on the Libyan frontier continue to develop satisfactorily. The latest Cairo communique states: “In the Western Desert remnants of the beaten Italian Army continue their withdrawal, closely followed by our advanced troops. In addition to the three senior generals captured yesterday, two further general officers, commanding divisions, are now in our hands. The numbers of prisoners have also increased by several thousands, but owing to the area of the battlefield it is still impossible to give precise figures. “Along the Sudan frontier our patrols continue to harass the enemy and to inflict casualties.”