EMPIRE ARMY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 January 1941, Page 5

EMPIRE ARMY

| SIR A. WAYELL’S NEW YEAR MESSAGE I TRIBUTE PAID TO SMALL DETACHMENTS. OPERATING ON LONG i FRONTIERS. I (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, January 4 The British Commander-in-Chief in the Middle East. General Sir Archibald Wavell, in a New Year broadcast from Cairo, said: — "We in the Middle East have admired from a distance the courage of our people at home. We have witnessed at first hand the gathering of the i Empire to war. Nearly every Domin- , ion and colony is represented in the | Middle East and from the mandated j territory of Palestine and Transjordan I both Jewish and Arab units have been ! formed to assist us. “We have also fighting on our side ! the forces of the Free French. Poles, land Czechs. Just across the way our I men are helping the gallant Greeks. •! should like to acknowledge the help given us by our friends and allies the Egyptians in accordance with their treaty with us. “We had our period of danger in the Middle East in the months which followed June last, when Italy's ruler decided that good loot could be had without much fighting or danger. Our garrisons in Egypt, the Sudan. East Africa and British Somaliland were most dangerously weak. Fortunately, no de-' termined attack was made, except in British Somaliland, where seven Italian brigades with artillery and tanks tried to drive back our five battalions. We acknowledge the compliment in the size of the force thought necessary. “I should like here to pay tribute to the small detachments who on the i frontiers of Egypt, the Sudan and-: East Africa remained undismayed and ■ unimpressed by the enemy's numerical’ superiority but attacked whenever I they saw the opportunity. Their endurance and skill paved the way to sue-: cess.” General Wavell concluded: "Main-j tain the spirit and unity of these last! months and all will be well.” ! | A.I.F, ACCLAIMED BY BRITISH & AMERICAN PRESS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. January 4 The success of the Australians in taking part of the outer defences of I Bardia in the rear is acclaimed in the! British Press. The American newspapers Ci New ■ York message states) feature the Aus-' tralian success in Libya. The New I York "Post,” in two-inch type across j its entire front page, states: "Austra- j Hans in Bardia.” Most papers pub- ; lish photographs of the Australian ( troops in Libya. ITALIAN. CLAIMS FIERCE RESISTANCE REPORTED ROM!-’, January 4. ! An official communique states: “The j British unleashed new attacks invulv-' ing air, sea and land forces on the I Bardia sector, resulting in a big bat- ; tie being under way. The Italian i forces in the Bardia sector command-' cd by General Bergonzoli are resisting ' fiercely, while the Italian aviation is co-operating unceasingly, bombing and machine-gunning the British naval units, bases, troops, mechanised units' and material. HEAVY AIR ATTACKS I ARGE FIRES STARTED LN BARDIA. ( • Bnm.h (lit-. 1,.! Wir.-h---. - , RUGBY, January 3 A communique issued by the RAF , in the Middle East states:- Through- . < yesterday ami on the previous ( night. Bardia was subjected to one of t the b- avn st air attacks vet carried out t the M.dcile I-.'a-t. Heavy damage -, kil ift* Jilt’S WHU sllifh-d « s DIVE ATTACKS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE DONE. RH.'S ON AERODROMES AN!) PORTS MGIiOX January I 1 A Boy.il Air Force communique , in Cairo tt.itcs: "Supporting the , Army attack on Bardia. our bomber planet, continued their raids throughout the night of January 2. and also yesterday. Dive attacks v.rfr made on the town; many tons c! bcm!>-. were released and extensive cfamage was caused. •' at L-.wJ :<!<<! T. Lit■ - '.m i . (»:.<• . f i.'.ir m!.<-: < !-,a- •;<>’ I t.n;. Imimg-. caiei.'ig a ' lat. i- f. lbli-,- <-v_. .