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THE CHINA MAIL, NOVEMBER 12, 1940
Graziani's Invasion Plans Regarded As Nigh Impossible
Britain's Middle East Campaign
(By Reuter's Military Correspondent)
STEADY PROGRESS AND CONTINUED IM- PROVEMENT IS THE THEME OF A STATE- MENT ABOUT THE MIDDLE EAST WHICH WAS ISSUED IN LONDON YESTERDAY.
It is a situation which should be regarded in retrospect "counting our many difficul» ties, because General Wavell has had a heavy task.
Only a few inonths ago, he had As to Gibraltar's position, there, to deal with the collapse of lit had been raade even more French resistance.
powerful in the last few months. Forces there have been working- That collapse, though imme-like beavers, strengthening de diate in Europe, was not so im fences and they are confident of mediate in all parts of the Mid-being, able to successfully resist dle East. It spread outwards any attack.
from one centre until one huge area after another, which began with stout assurances of continued resistance, slowly fell until even
Vital Points
The following are vital points
fateful Djibuti (where General in the coming Middle East cam- Gentilhoinme, true to his name paign: and last-to hold out) gave way.
The French forces were larger than the British and the Anglo- French plans were made jointly.
In all theatres, they had agreed to bear a considerable portion of the common, effort.
.....
(1) At all costs," Britain must retain its hold on Egypt because of the strategic importance of the Suez Canal and Alexandria. The eneiny must. be beaten here. be- cause on British victory depends. her ability to help her friends.
(2) Britain must do her best to
General Wavell had to reor-assist Greece. ganise his plans without French help and it is, with this in mind, that the following statement, Is- sued yesterday, should be con- sidered.
Desert Attack
that
resources allow, Britain
Many feet below a mansion in the S.E. district, a night.she'ter, accommodating about sight families, has now been built. Here, pärents and their children get all the rest that they need for the noise of London's barrage of anti-aircraft guns cannot be heard.. The shelter has been. equipped with all conveniences and cooking facilities, and the residents are able to regard it al- most as a home. from. home. Photo shows them sleeping; in safety. (Copyright; Fox).
When the
Hour
Comes
" ARIC ROYAL " IN ACTION AT SARDINIA
Aircraft from the "Ark Royal" delivered a bombing attack yesterday on the har- bour and aerodrome of Cagliari in Sardi-
(3) At the earliest moment; "We shall strike home will strike the enemy at the for victory when the hour point which will do him most comes," declared Mr. An- injury and strike with all her thony Eden, Secretary of
State for War, in a broad-nid. cast to British and Allied
power.
The Italian advance across the The liaison between the "Army desert to attack Alexandria is so and RAP, in the Western Desert difficult an operation as to be al-je excellent and the Air Force has troops in the Middle East, most impossible.
shown a tactical superiority over it is revealed in London.
see."
Italians Sensitive
Mr. Eden told them that the future was safe in their hands,
"Yours, is the quality that corn- mands success," he declared.
He continued:-
"In addition, British troops in the Italians. the Middle East have been stead- ily reinforced in number and equipment until to-day they form what is described about as good In East Africa, the Italians are an army as one could hope to sensitive about the Abyssinian front as their violent reaction to Where the Italians are weak is the British capture of Galabat "This journey I have just com- in their tactical training..which is proves. Galabat is important as pleted to the Middle East com- regarded as inferior to that of the an entry to Abyssinia and themand has been for me a most British troops.
Italians have used a great number Vivid and encouraging experience. of 'planes in their counter-attacks. I should like to congratulate cach one of you, from General · Wavel!
All The Moves
÷
Syria presents dificulties. Bri- to the most recently arrived pri- The British position in the west tain can never allowSyria-to fall vate soldier, on the splendid ef- ern desert has immensely im into hostile hands, it is affirmed. iciency and keeness displayed by proved in the last few months. The conditions under the exist-all ranks. Both armament and defences are ing regime appear to be fairly better and tho men know all the stable-Reuter
Inoves in dosert warfare. If the Germans are able to reinforce the Italians on, this front, it will take them some time to attain pro-. ficiency in this type of fighting.
It is believed there are no Ger- man troops in Libya at present except technicians and probably advisers., The Italians are using mainly the forward area.
They
DECOUX
RUMOURS
Unbroken Faith
"No discomfort can subdue your spirits, no hardship can weaken your resolution.
"Reinforcements in men material have been and are be- Ling sent to strengthen you still
further."
7
It is officially re corded only that bombs were dropped in the target area, that explosions and fires were observed, and that the Italians retaliated by attack- ing the Ark Royal but made no hit, caused no casualties and no damage.
Two Italion aircraft were destroyed by Bri-
R.A.F. RANGES
FAR AND WIDE
Though hampered by severe electrical storms and icing conditions, air- craft of the Bomber Com mand carried out exten- sive operations last night.
They included oil plants ̄ ̄ ̄at Gelsenkirchen, the Ruhr and Bre men, factories at Essen, (Krupps) Mannheim, Amsterdam (Fokker), and Drosden, the docks and ship- ping at Kiel and Duisberg, and at the seaports, Lorient, Cher- bourg, Le Havre, Dunkirk and Flushing, railway junctions at Danzig, Dessau, Munster, Mann- heim and Dresden and also 14. aerodromes in Germany and enemy-occupied terrory.
During daylight operations yes-.. terday, sh.pping was attacked in the harbours of Boulogne and Calais, Fave of our aircraft are missing-British Wireless.
tish fighters which RICE
suffered no losses. Reuter!
and .00000000000000****
Mr. Eden told the forces that their relations, and friends in London were enduring the nightly air attacks with a calm courage which had won the ad- miration of the world. The same spirit inspired the forces of the Middle East and to- they shared unbroken faith in the final triumph-Reuter,
are hot getting much material VICE-ADMIRAL JEAN DE- and oil into Libya but they are COUX. GOVERNOR-GENERAL believed to have accumulated OF FRENCH INDO-CHINA, RE- substantial reserves,
|'SIGNED YESTERDAY, ACCORD¬ Now, with the British usingNG TO A JAPANESE REPORT Crete as a naval base, Italian dif- | QUOTED BY REUTER, ficulties, should Libya not be re- inforced, would be even greatcr. ernor-General on June
Decoux was appointed
Gov. Bether
by the Vichy Government.
20
.. in
Arduous Campaign The reason for his resignation is said to be the increasing dif- British difficulties are not con-ficulties created by a strong group cerned with manpower. The of pro-de Gaulle. followers" quality of the troops is excellent | Saigon. and they have been steadily rein- The Vichy Government is ex- forced from New Zealand, Aus-pected to appoint a new Gov- tralia and India as well as from Crnor-General soon-Reuter. Britain.
***It needs to be emphasised It is the staff's intention to that this is a Japanese. report. maintain a stream of armoured weapons and aeroplanes to be IN BRITISH HANDS able to strike at the point cal- aulated to do 'the onɑmy, most damage. Military experts in London, however, expect the campaign in the Middle East to be an arduous and a hard fought struggle of many phases,
··
CLEARING DEBRIS IN LONDON
MEN GO TO BED FIRST
SAVING
IN JAPAN
(SPECIAL TO “CHINA" MAIL")
THE JAPANESE RICE SAVING CAMPAIGN HAS MET, "WITH- CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS) SAYS THE TOKYO PAPER "YOMIURI.”
Average consumption during the "Gentlemen first" is the motio past few months has been 5,000 of Stoke Newington authorities, "koku" less daily than during the who are considering equipping some months last year. air raid shelters with sleeping accommodation.
An official explained: "The men have to work during the day, when most women can make up for their lost, oleop during the night.": Bunks for babies are also to be
Tokyo prefecture accounts daily for one-tenth of the total con sumption of rice in Japan..
The success of the, campaign% was helped by foreign rice box Ing found unplonsant, as well! as by the consumption ofï.soyn ⠀ bean and sweet potatoća.
October Between April and
"Yomiuri," -- the s
499,307
A SUPPLEMENTARY UNIT provided. ' OF THE ROYAL ENGINEERS; The official continued: "The 1940, says the CONSISTING OF OVER 1,800 prolonged night raids has made monthly consumption of rice DOCKWORKERS AND RAIL-in necessary for us to provide ranged from 420,012 to WAY MEN, ARE NOW AT some accommodation for the koku," while the average in Galabat, the small village in WORK REMOVING, DEBRIS bables. the Sudan near the Abyssinian | AND REPAIRING PIPE-LINE IN frontier which, according to an LONDON,
Italian communique, has been re- The unit was formed in 1938 and ccupied by Italian troops, is, in has the distinction of being the fuct, still in British hands. -first to land in France and the last British Wireless,
to leave. Reuter.·
X
"Mothers cannot nurse them in 1034 was 631,130. their arms all night, so we have Daily consumption: In Tokyo. devised a sort of nest where the during these last months has been babies will sleep in tiors and they 16;189, "koku," while: it reached will not take up much floor. 31,400 in the same period last
year. Havas
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