ENEMY SURRENDER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 January 1941, Page 5

ENEMY SURRENDER

BRITISH OFFICIAL REPORT ONLY RESTRICTED AREA NOW IN ITALIAN HANDS. I PATROLLING IN THE SUDAN & KENYA. (British Official Wireless.’ I (Received This Day. 10.27 a m.) RUGBY. January 5. • A General Headquarters Cairo com- | munique states: "Before nightfall last evening the Italian troops occupying I the whole of the northern sector of the i defences of Bardia were forced to suri render. Our patrols have penetrated I into Bardia itself and enemy resistance | is now confined to a restricted area in ■ the south-east zone of the perimeter I defences. More than 15.000 prisoners : have now been captured and operaI lions to moi? up the remaining centres I of resistance arc continuing satisfactorily. I "On the Sudan frontier there is no change in the situation. "In the northern’ frontier district of Kenya our pair >ls are continuing their activities." I ’ ADMIRAL’S REPORT j — DETAILS OF BOMBARDMENT. ENEMY AIRCRAFT BEATEN OFF. (British Official Wireless.' I (Received This Day. 9.50 a.m.) RUGBY. January 5. | The Admiralty issues the following ! report from the Commander-in-Chief . in the Mediterranean (Sir A. Duncan): i —"The attack on Bardia on Friday was I supported by a naval bombardment. ’ carried out as necessary throughout • the day of the battle The fleet proi vidcd for one and a half hours of heavy concentration on enemy supi port troops, tanks and motor transI port. The secondary armaments of the I battleships and destroyers dealt with ' coast defences. • No casualties or damI age were sustained, except a few I casualties, through a near miss on the ' gunboat Aphis. Naval units were attacked on several occasions by enemy aircraft without success.” WEST OF BARDIA IMPERIAL AND FRENCH FORCES ACTIVE. LONDON. January 5. Though the Australians have taken a prominent part in the assault on Bardia, other units of the British Imperial Forces are active between Bardia and Tobruk preventing any relief being brought to the defenders. !• ree French troops are also co-operating. HELP FOR ITALY GERMAN AIR FORCES. REJOICINGS IN CONTROLLED PRESS. LONDON, January 3. The "Daily Mail's" special correspondent on the Italian frontier reports| that Germany is sending 1500 pilots j and 10,000 ground stall men to Italy. Italian newspapers are rejoicing at the prospect of German planes going i into action against the Army of the: Nile. The Bologna newspaper "Avvenire; d'Halia" says the Germans will begin operations with a few days. The Leghorn newspaper “Telegrafo" gloats as follows: "Imagine the British surprise when after 20 days' flounder-; ing between Capuzzo and Bardia they are bombed by hundreds of new planes.”