DEFENCE OF EGYPT
STATEMENT BY SIR MILES LAMPSON SITUATION MUCH WORSE LAST YEAR. CORRESPONDENT SEES DANGER TO COASTAL FORCES. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, June 24. Cairo messages report that the British Ambassador, Sir Miles Lampson, the commander of the garrison in Egypt, General Stone, and the Egyptian Premier and Finance Minister conferred for two hours yesterday, after which Sir Miles Lampson said: “The situation is satisfactory. Last year the situation was much worse. In spite of that, we won. We shall beat the enemy severely.” The Ministry of Passive Defence has mobilised 52,000 A.R.P. volunteers for duty in Egypt. Earlier today a correspondent with the Eighth Army said that Axis columns were moving rapidly toward the frontier. Our reconnaissance planes saw what was described as a powerful enemy force moving past Gambut toward Fort Capuzzo and Halfaya Pass. It consisted of tanks, guns and infantry. German long-range artillery has been in action. The Sollum-Halfaya position is not as strong as the Gazala line, says the “Daily Telegraph’s” correspondent in the Western Desert. The natural line of defence in the crest of the escarpment curls south-eastward. Piercing the positions south of Halfaya would put our coastal forces in grave danger of envelopment. General Wavell did not seriously attempt to defend the frontier against the Italians in 1940, and it is unlikely that Major-General Ritchie will either. Our strategy must be to draw out the enemy s strength I by holding actions till we obtain enough tanks and anti-tank guns again to meet ■ the enemy on something like equal terms. The situation is grim. Brigadier-Gen-eral Gott now commands our armoured forces.
ANGER IN BRITAIN MILITARY DIRECTION OF WAR. QUESTIONED IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. LONDON, June 23. Not at any time throughout the war have the British people been more angry than at present over the defeat in Libya. There was growing restiveness under previous defeats, but now has come a reverse after rosy statements saying that Rommel’s offensive plans had gone completely awry and that we had no reason to be dissaVsfied with the position or with our armaments. Thus the public was led to believe the Eighth Army would, if not victorious, certainly not be defeated. Tn sharp anti-climax, Tobruk fell in far less time than the British required to take it from the despised Italians. Sir John Wardlaw-Milne has summed up in the House of Commons the views felt by the public when he said, “We want to know where the blame lies. While having the highest admiration for the work and endurance of the troops, we have no longer confidence in the military direction of the war.” The rumbling approval with . which this statement was greeted in the House echoes throughout the country.
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Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 June 1942, Page 2
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456DEFENCE OF EGYPT Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 June 1942, Page 2
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