Page
THE CHINA MAIL, OCTOBER 23, 1940.
STAGE SET FOR GRAZIANI
Great Strengthening Of British Army In Desert SkirmishesBetween Armoured Units
(By Reuter's Special Correspondent With the British Army in the Western Desort)
A MARKED STRENGTHENING OF THE BRITISH DEFENCES IN THE WESTERN DESERT WAS THE CHIEF IMPRESSION LEFT BY A VISIT I HAVE JUST MADE TO THIS FRONT.
ITALIANS AGAIN RAID ALEXANDRIA
Enemy aircraft again dropped bombs in the neighbourhood of Alexandria early yesterday morning, says а naval com- munique.
Very slight damage was caused. Only casualty was one per- son slightly injured. -Reuter.
INDIA'S EFFORTS TO AID BRITAIN
AMONG THE LATEST EM- PIRE WAR GIFTS IS A SUM “OF £21,00U FROM ASSAM FOR --THE PURCHASE OF FOUR. FIGHTER ''PLANES, WHILE THE WAR SAVINGS FUND IN CALCUTTA HAS NOW SENT £367,500 ΤΟ THE UNITED KINGDOM.
Present military activity is not large, con- sisting chiefly of skirmishes and brief clashes between forward armoured units, but it is rea- sonable to suppose that an Italian advance may be ordered by Marshal Graziani in the near future.
Italian 'planes are busy photographing what is visible of the enormously increased British defence posts while the R.A.F. daily pounds the Italian rear between Sidi Barrani and Benghazi.
The Italians attempt to retaliate, with raids on desert camps, which are excellently camouflaged, hence casualties are extremely small,
en-
General Gallina, who now ap- pears to be second-in-command to Marshal Graziani, has countered difficulties in prepar Ing his troops for a further ad- vance Into Egypt, as Moslem troops are reluctant to further Invade Egypt.
The reluctance has increased as many of General Gallina's troops;] are pure Egyptians who settled in Cyrenaica, being subsequently conscripted.
Senussi Tribes
A large number of Libyan troops are of the Senussi "tribe which is notably lukewarm in its! support of the Italians.""
Hence the advance appears likely to be delayed-until-after the Feasts of Ramadan and Bairam, which conclude 16 days hence.
Full use of the difficult desert terrain has been made in the Bri- tish defence system on the pre paration of which the British troops enthusiastically engaged.
Great derground defence constructed works ave been -beneath the desert by the Bri-
tish army. Almost perfect.cover is assured for tents and equip- ment, to such an extent that Italian bombers frequently un- load their bombs on the desert at random in the hope of hit- ting something.
Entire Bedouin tribes have been toon trekking from the war Zone driving herds and flocks before them.
They are no embarrassment to the military authorities for they are mainly nomadic and able to find a living almost anywhere.
Reuter.
FRENCH IN ARMY OF KENYA
THE FREE FRENCH COM- MUNITY OF KENYA HAS PRE- SENTED AN AMBULANCE TO GENERAL DICKENSEN, THE
G.O.C.
A Lahore message says that the leader of a large Moslem or ganisation has offered to buy a fighter and also the services of
Quiet Confidence In accepting the gift, the G.O.C. 50,000 volunteers.
said it was only one sign of the
The Governor
North- of the
Everywhere quiet confidence is magnificent effort free Frenchmen
New Zealand troops were making. West Frontier Provinces has re-expresscd.
He was glad to say that quite a p ceived a pledge of loyalty from particularly are pleased at being i
of free French were the ruler and people of Chitral.in the war zone after their long number
Reuter. serving in his army. — training near Cairo. Reuter.
Collagni, . Picture taken at the sinking of the Italian six-inch cruiser, Bartolomao. by H.M.A.S. Sydney In the Mediterranean. Bydney, accompanied by a small destroyer toroo, on- gaged two-tItalian cruisers to the north west of Crete. The other withdraw with the British in pursuit. it is plain that the Bartolomeo Colleonil has “felt "tho, weight of the British guns. Har bows are blown clean away. (Copyright, Fox).
Mr. Winston Churchill, accompanied by officials, inspecting the damage caused by German bombing in, the, East End of London, (Copyright, Fox).
AXIS SCRAMBLING
RESOURCES
FOR
FOR LONG WAR
EVERY MOVE OF THE Axis powers in
the Balkans, baulked in their expectation of a speedy victory, is now directed to the acquisi. tion of resources from the Near East and Africa which the blockade denies them, de- clared the London "Daily Telegraph” yester- day in an editorial on the Eastern Group Sup- ply Conference to be opened in New Delhi on Friday.
9
"The Telegraph" adds the Far East also, if they can invent the means, is to pay them tribute.
While the Dictators prate thus a new order, of establishing a
has already new world order come into being.
7
The free Empire of our Brl- 'tish Commonwealth
Is mar-
shalling its united strength, for
a war effort such as civilisa- tion has never known.
rc-
the
After referring to the industrial possibilities of the countries presented at the conference, paper adds that these Empire countries, with little other
as-
DE GAULLE
MAKESTOUR
OF AFRICA
sistance, provide for the British General dé Gaulle,
rmies of the Near East through a major campaign.
Leader of Free French-
Empire Soon To Deploy men, has just concluded a tour of French Equatorial
Our own resources and those
which we draw from Canada and Africa, including the in- the Western Hemisphere will be terior of the Cameroons Iree to strike where their blows. will be most deadly.
of
The strength or ine unity he free Empire has never been
and the Chad region.
At Yaounde, capital of the Cameroons, and Port Lamy, capl-
understood by the Dictators. It tal of Chad, and numerous will soon deploy against them re- other places which the party sources which no schemes or. drives of theirs can match.- Reuter.
KING'S NEW MILITARY AIDES
de:
visited by "plana, 'General Gaulle was enthusiastically- wel-; comed by the European and na- tive population, local chiefs often .coming from afar to affirm their loyalty.
Perhaps, the most. moving mo- ment of the whole tour was a meeting at the Governor's head- quarters at Fort Lamy "betwcen General de Gaulle and General Catroux, former Governor of Indo-China, who went especially "A NEW HONOUR 'FOR BRI from London to assure. General TISH ARMY LEADERS WAS e Gaund of his full support and
of Br ANNOUNCED BY THE WAR beating new evidence OFFICE LAST NIGHT IN THE tain's will and growing power to FOLLOWING: Sarry the way to # Victorious FORM OF THE APPOINTMENTS AS AIDES-DE- conclusiori. CAMP GENERAL.. ΤΟ THE General Catroux has left for Engiand again, while General de KING."
General Viscount Gort, with of Gaulle is back in Duala.-Reu- feat from July 20, in succession to ter, General Sir Edmund Ironside,'
who has been promoted Field-retired from the active list. Marshal.
General Sir John DIII, Avith ef- General Sir Robert Gordon- }fect from July 1, in succession to Finlayson, with effect from June General Sir Walter Kirke, who 8. in succession to General Sir has retired from the native Lat William Bartholomew, who has Reuter.