The Waikato Times FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1940 ITALIAN ADVANCE INTO EGYPT

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21223, 20 September 1940, Page 4

The Waikato Times FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1940 ITALIAN ADVANCE INTO EGYPT

It is now possible to realise what Mr Churchill and General Wavell meant when they informed xhe Empire that news could be expected shortly from the Middle East. Marshal Graziani is leading an Italian force into Egypt from Libya. Already the column has advanced 75 miles along the coastal road from the Libyan border towards Alexandria. So far there has been no major engagement, although the invaders are being harassed by gunfire from British warships and by bombs from the Royal Air Force. Egypt has not yet declared war, but its forces are manoeuvring into position and the Egyptian command is consulting with the British leaders. The stage appears to be set for rapid developments. British strategy has not, of course, been disclosed in detail, but much may be read into the statement of the spokesman at Cairo, who said : “ We are not defending the long desert line from Solium, but we shall certainly defend Egypt proper, namely the Delta and the Nile Valley. Between these two extremes lies our course of action, which is directed not to the occupation or retention of this or that area but to the destruction of the enemy’s forces. Territorial readjustments will follow naturally when this is achieved, as it will be.” It may be that the Italians are advancing steadily into a trap. Every day their lines of communication are being lengthened over a more or less waterless desert. They are working feverishly to establish supply bases in the wake of the advance. These bases are being submitted to constant bombardment, and it is certain that on the long trek and before country of any particular value is reached heavy losses will be inflicted.

Possibly when the Italian army reaches Egypt proper it will already be reduced in numbers and wearied. Then it must face the Allied counter-attack, and if it suffers a serious reverse it must fall back on the inhospitable road by which it came. The whole position contains the elements of a first-class military disaster, with the strong possibility of the destruction of the Italian army. If that occurs the Italian position in North Africa generally will have become extremely precarious. Assurance can be taken from the fact that Britain recently poured large military and naval reinforcements into the danger area with a clear knowledge of what was coming. Italian troops have not held a good reputation for fighting ability. They may soon be compelled to demonstrate the stuff they are made of. Hitherto they have made some spectacular captures of territory, but these were made possible only by the collapse of the French resistance. In such favourable circumstances it may be said they have not even made the best of their opportunities, for the Allied defence was at that time laid wide open. The gaps are being closed, and soon the Italians must be put to the first real test. They are not now advancing against a skeleton defence or against almost unarmed natives. Much will depend upon the quality of Mussolini’s new Fascist army, which has never yet clashed on anything like equal terms with British mechanised forces. Probably the Italian offensive was planned to coincide with the German invasion of England, but the passage of time has compelled independent action.