EGYPTIAN ARMY

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21222, 19 September 1940, Page 8

EGYPTIAN ARMY

MEET ITALIAN INVASION CONFIDENCE IN LEADERS (Unitvd Pre«. Ain Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Sept. 17 Egypt’s army of 30,000 men will unquestionably fight at the appropriate time, says the Cairo correspondent of the Times. Already the native army is carrying: out manoeuvres outside Cairo and in the desert. Long: convoys of the Egyptian Army's camouflaged trucks, Bren gun carriers and artillery have been filing across the capital. Their equipment is superior to anything yet captured from the Italians. Volunteers and civil guards have taken over security jobs in Cairo and Alexandria. Regular Egyptian troops guard the Nile bridges and Egyptians man anti-aircraft guns and searchlights around the two cities. Egyptians and Sudanese man the frontier observation posts. Native anti-aircraft units at Alexandria have been signally successful in repulsing 75 Italian raids which have killed 10 and wounded 40 civilians. The Italians have repeatedly missed their objective, which is the British Fleet. The Commander-in-Chief of the Egyptian territorial army, forecasting increasingly powerful forces, said: “We can train 200,000 men annually.” The leading Arabic newspaper, Alahram, says: “Egyptians are full of confidence in their leaders and await patiently the outcome of their discussions, but they earnestly hope that they will not have to wait too long.” All the newspapers are most friendly toward Britain and Italian propaganda articles have entirely disappeared. The Egyptian War Minister, Mahmud Fahmy el Kissy, has already begun discussions with senior British and Egyptian military officers regarding the role the Egyptian Army is to play in view of the Italian in- : vasion. A road from Solium runs southward to the oasis of Siwa, to which the Italians apparently intend to advance immediately they have consolidated the coastal invasion. Indeed, supporting forces are already spreading southward. Leading Coastal Advance Two columns, keeping fairly close together, are leading the coastal advance, using medium tanks of 11 tons, with a large number of light tanks, which, however, have proved especially vulnerable to British fire. No major engagement has yet occurred, but air battles under the terrific desert heat and sandstorms rage fiercely throughout the day. Hurricanes and Blenheims hurl themselves down on the tank columns, troops and transports, artillery pounds the invaders, and warships shell their path from the sea. The Italians are also using bombers and fighters freely in support of their land forces.

The Royal Air Force continues strafing throughout the night as the Italians seek a few hours’ rest and endeavour to rush up supply waggons and establish water, fuql, ammunition and food dumps, which are essential if the long lines of communication are not to become a liability spelling failure for Graziani’s task. Retreat now, with the divisions locked under the Libyan escarpment, would be disastrous.

WAR SERVICE FOR ALLIES CONSCRIPTION OF FOREIGNERS (United Asn. —tier. Tel. Copyright) (Received Sept. ID 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 18 In the House of Commons. Mr C R. Attlee, Lord Privy Seal, announced that the Government intended to confer the necessary Hll. , • itj to enable Allied Governments established in this country to call up their nationals i-r military service under a compulsory system.