..Page 16
TOBRUK'S
FATE
THE CHINA MAIL, JANUARY 22, 1941.
SEALED
Imperial Forces Smashing Through Defences
First General Captured:
Big
Cruiser Ablaze
(By Reuter's Special Correspondent at British
General Headquarters in Cairo)
AFTER STEADILY INVESTING THE TOWN FOR NEARLY THREE WEEKS BRITAIN'S ARMY OF THE NILE LAUNCHED AN ATTACK ON TOBRUK EARLY YESTERDAY, AND HAVE P ENETRATED THE DE- FENCES, INNER AND OUTER TO A DEPTH OF FIVE MILES.
FRENCH FLEET
THE RECONCILIATION OF MARSHAL PETAIN AND LAVAL DOES NOT MEAN THAT FRANCE WILL TURN OVER THE FRENCH FLEET TO GER- MANY, ACCORDING ΤΟ A SPOKESMAN OF THE VICHY GOVERNMENT YESTERDAY,
He is reported to have stated that the reconciliation was intend- ed to curb attacks of certain Paris newspapers on the Vichy Govern-
ment.
NO INFLUENZA
DESPITE WAR CONDITIONS, THERE HAS, AS YET. BEEN NO SIGN OF ANY INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC IN BRITAIN, THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER OF THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH STATED YESTERDAY.
Blinding sandstorms that have been sweeping over the Western Desert almost con- tinuously for the past week had hampered the final stages of the operations.
The troops had to force a way through yel- low clouds of sand which reduced visibility
sometimes to a few yards.
TWO TRAWLERS SUNK
sunk,
Two trawlers, Manx Prince and Refundo, have been stotes an Admiralty communique issued in London yesterday.
There was no loss of life in Manx Prince but there were casual- ties in Refundo. Reuter.
ITALIAN
WOMEN IN
ABYSSINIA
IL DUCE SUPPLIANT FOR AID
The meeting of Hitler and Mussolini took place at Berchtesgaden, accord- ing to the diplomatic cor- respondent of the London "Daily Telegraph” yester- day.
The correspondent says that for the purpose of propaganda the usual mystification was made but "I can state that the purpose of the conference was the quite simple one of transferring the Italian war machine to German control."
Mere fact that the meeting was held at Berchtesgaden and not, as in former meetings, on the Italo-German frontier, em- phasizes the subservient role The British Govern-
Mussolini now takes. Most of our troops had been in, all round, presenting a formidabis
ment has made no ar- This subservience may be un- contact with the Italians on the task for the preliminary work of
pride and outer perimeter of Tobruk less destruction by our Engineers. rangements in collabora- palatable to Italian
may be disguised in the language British penetration of tion with the Italian Gov-of Italian propagandists but both the outer and inner ernment for the evacua- nevertheless the fact remains that Mussolini at the meeting was defences of Tobruk, to a tion of women and chil-supplient for German aid depth of five miles, was dren from Abyssinia, Eri-had to accept the German terus, announced in a special trea and Somaliland, Mr. of the Italian forces in fact communique issued last Churchill told the House not in appearance, the correspon - night from G.H.Q., Cairo. of Commons yesterday dent states.—Reuter.
than a week after the fall of Bar- dia, and this offensive has been prepared equally carefully.
Patrols have gone out nightly
gathering precise information regard to the Italian defences
ind
They found tank traps ૩૫. rounding Tobruk 90 deep in
places that they had to bring up
ladders in order to enter and
measure their size.
The outer perimeter of de- fences is about 30 nules in cir- cumference.
Formidable Task
Unlike Bardia. Tobruk has
If there is no epidemic by the second line of defence, with a cir-
cumference of about 11 miles.
The outer circle is barbed-wired
con-
beginning of February, he tinued, the danger should be past.
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Cairo Communique
afternoon.
and
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the United States, fully under- stand the cause and principles for which we are waging war against the Nazis, he replied.
Any suggestion to this effect, The communique reads: "Short- he said, should surely come from ly after noon to-day the Imperial the Italians or from those com-
the manders on the spot. forces, actively supported by
Air Royal Navy and the Royal
In any case, it is not possible The Government always kept a Force, successfully penetrated to interrupt the operations which lookout for any opportunity of
making both the outer and inner defences are now in progress.
a statement helpful to Mr. Churchill was also asked victory and the liberaton of those of Tobruk to a depth of over five
German to make a statement about warinations now under the
yoke, but he was not able to add and peace aims. Most right-minded people in anything helpful at present to what Britain and abroad, especially in has already been said.
miles on a broad front.
"The advance is continuing.
"Many prisoners have already been taken, including one Italian general.
"An Italian cruiser, the San Giorgio, in Tobruk harbour, is in flames, together with a number of dumps of stores of petrol and the like." Reuter.
Just A Matter Of Hours
(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL") The capture of Tobruk by the British and Imperal forces is re- garded as a mere matter of hours, since many of the Italian defences have already fallen into British hands.
This new success in Africa fol- lows the sudden break through Tobruk's powerful outer defences after but a single day of concan- trated assault to a depth of at least five miles.
Meanwhile British armoured units and motorised infantry are reported to have reached a point 30 miles east of Kassala, captured from the Italians last week, - International News Service.
ARTILLERY DUELS IN ALBANIA
Improvements in the weather resulted in heavy artillery duels in the cen- tral sector of the Albán- ian front from dawn all] day stated Athens radio yesterday.
Grek guns silenced many enemy batteries.
Thick snow covers, the - moun- taing where fighting is proceeding and flere is bitter cold and fog.
Despite the Conditions the Greeks continue to maintain the Initisiive and to displaça'tha. enemy from fortified positions. In the southern sector beyond Chimarra the Greeks, encircled and, captured pa trenchmortar corps taking many prisoners. Keu
STOP PRESS
The prefix "special" to telegrama is used by the **Surday Herald" and "China Mall" to Indicate news which provi- is strictly copyright under the alons of the Telecommunications Or dinance, 1936, and may not be reprint. ed under any circumstances, either wholly or in part, without prior ar- rangement.
Much concern is felt for the health of Mr. Lloyd George, who was severely shaken when the car in which he was travelling on Monday to Criccieth, in a vain attempt to reach the bedside. of his wife who since died, crashed into an obstruction caused by · a landslide in the Welsh mountains.
The elderly statesman, who was still suffering from the shock caused by Madame Lloyd George's death, is con- fined to his room and has been. advised to rest before con- tinuing his journey.-British Wireless.
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