LIGHT AS AIR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 March 1941, Page 9

LIGHT AS AIR

ITALIAN RADIO EXPLOITS BATTLE OF SARDINIA. INCIDENTS IN MEDITERRANEAN. (By Knob-Turner). When the Italian radio claims a victory on. sea or land the world smiles . . . . and waits. Giornale d’ltalia, 28/11/40: ‘'The Italian Navy and Air Force effectively control the Mediterranean, and often put a stop to enemy activity.” Rome in Italian, 28/11/40: “The British were trying to sail the seas, of which they think they are the masters. But the Italian Fleet, appearing from goodness only knows what depths, attacked them violently and daripgly. How they fled, those children 4>f Neptune!” Siefani News Cable, 28/11/40: “Believing they could repeat the Taranto coup, the British attacked the ‘Vittorio Veneto,’ but the battleship skilfully succeeded in evading the attack.” Rome in Italian, 30/11/40: “Let us declare once again that in the engage-ment-only the destroyer ‘Lanciere’ was hit, and that by a British salvo that was aimed at a cruiser. No other—we repeat, no other—unit was in the slightest degree hit. The Sea of Sardinia has thus once more witnessed confirmation of the supremacy of Italian naval forces in the Mediterranean.” Rome in Rumanian, 29/11/40: “The facts prove that not only the balance has not changed, but that the Italian Navy is maintaining its capacity, and very often compels enemy shipping to change its route.” Rome in Italian, 22/11/40: “One fine day the Admiral »f his Britannic Majesty, Mr' Cunningham, will find out, when he decides to bring his ships out of Alexandria, that he can no longer escape from our Fleet, which has made and is making worthy preparations for that day.” Rome in Italian, 22/11/40: “The Greeks, too, although momentarily superior to us in numbers and armament, will finally be compelled by the valour of our infantry to await our new offensive, which will break their loins.” Tirana, 21/11/40: “It is absurd to suppose that the Italians will be deterred if the Greeks carelessly hurry to take up positions which are of little importance. In their new positions the Italians will prepare for their new onslaught. The Greeks are better prepared than the Italians, who were compelled to act in order not to be forestalled.” Rome in English, 22/11/40: “The Greeks do not stand a chance once General Soddu gets his plans into into operation. Behind the Italian rearguard action stands an army which has been prepared, and which will literally plough t its way into Greece once it gets started.” Read in March the Duce’s radio confidence appears to have been a little premature—even slightly vainglorious.