1940-12-21 — Page 3

THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 21, 1940.

Libraro, Supreme

NAVAL GUNS BATTER AT BARDIA

Dense Pall Of Smoke Hanging Far Out To Sea

Armoured

'FINESSE'

PAID

Troops Ready THIS FINE!

For

Action

(By Reuter's Special Correspondent with the Advanced British Forces Somewhere in Libya)

OVER BARDIA IEE A DENSE PALL OF SMOKE HANGING OUT TO SEA, CORROBOR- ATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE BRI- TISH NAVY'S BOMBARDMENTS, THE BOOM- ING BROADSIDES CF WHICH ECHOED THROUGH MY CAMP ALL NIGHT,

When a motorist, Harry, Arthur, of Sussex-gardens, Hyde Park. refused to pay a fine, Mr. L. R. Dunne. the Marylebone Magis- trate, ordered that the amount of the fine, 18s., should be deducted from money found on him.

The Magistrate said he did this "to save the man from himself,” as otherwise he would have to go to prison.

The fine was imposed a month

ago for leaving } car without lights.

Arthur said he had not paid on

principle, because the car was left gardens, and, since then, an exact-

in a private road outside Sussex-

Close by stands an armoured brigade, ready to roll into action against Bardia which the enemy is frantically endeavouring to de-y similar summons in respect to fend. Other mechanised units lurk even fur- ther beyond, adding a further ingredient to the Italian discomfiture.

I have just reached here from Sol am through a ruging gale over Haltaya Pass, which the Italians inade no attempt to blow up AN did the British in their withdraw. al, and have arrived at the Western Desert's strategic escarp-

ment.

1 came on the frontier country with only a thin film of British advanced troops between me and Bardia.

Sollum, when I left, was lying disconsolately smashed up.

Point Blank Range

There

LONDON'S BIG GUN

come

Crashes Shake Buildings

Londoners have now be- acquainted with their greatest gun, the one that goes off with a terrific crack. I had

juts heard it roar over

the escarpment across the littoral to the sea and

British troops

the same car had been dismissed. He had written to the Home Secretary about it, explaining the whole situation.

*********** COURTS

MORE TONNAGE DEFY RAIDS

FOR BRITAIN

United States Gov- ernment officials are known to be con- sidering whether the 37 Danish and over 100 other foreign ships tied up in American ports

can

be turned over to Britain.

In addition, an in- tensive study of the American shipping situation is reported to be progressing in on effort to find more tonnage to lease to⚫ Britain. Reuter.

MERCILESS AIR ATTACKS ON ITALIANS

BARDIA IS BEING mercilessly bombed

EVACUATION PLAN DROPPED

Plans made at the be ginning of the war to eva- cuate the Law Courts if air raids on London be came intense have been dropped. The work is

| carried on during alerts in reinforced jury rooms below the courts, where judges and barristers sit at plain tables near wit- nesses and litigants.

If the evacuation plans had been put into operation grave disloca- tion of the machinery of the courts would have been caused.

Most barristers are relieved at the decision to stay in London. They have their chambers in easy reach of the Law Courts, and a move would cause them great in- convenience.

Banks To Keep Open

The Committee of London Citaring Bankers, decided to keep banks open for the transaction of urgent business during air-raid warnings. If it. becomes necessary for the staff to take cover during a period of imminent local danger, banking services will still be pro- 'vided and the doors of the banking premises will not be locked, though they may be closed.

In explaining these

arrange-

manager of

my from the air and bombarded from the seaments yesterday. Mr. Charles Lid- pushing forward head, had felt it shake a while a ring of British tanks and massed bury, chief general from Bug Bug swarmed across the building, but I had completely exposed coastal plain without cover under point-blank realised to what noisy troops is drawn around the town's inland

not

sides.

em

the Westminister Bank.emp

to safeguard vital. current records, it will remain necessary for a large proportion

range of artillery from Italian bar- triumph it could rise un- racks perched on the cliff top.

til I went to live in its At the same time distant Italian bases are of the staffs to take these records shadow, as it were, in an being continuously hammered. hotel.

Taking Halfaya Pass the British

forces scrambled on the tableland and chased towards the frontier the retreating Italians speeding back to Libya abandoning colus- sal quantities of war material and a vast expanse of deserted plush - stores in their flight.

carpet and empty sofas when it

I was seated in the lounge in

opened the barrage with a re-

A few miles ahead of me lies sounding crash, The building all that remains of Bardia-crum- trembled and swayed for several

Bardia and Derna, which is 150 miles west of Bardia, on the Libyan coast, were both heavily bombed on Wednesday night, says a British air com- munique issued in Cairo yesterday.

Great damage was done at

bling shel's of buildings cracked seconds.. It was a surprise the Derna, military buildings being incessantly by torrents of bombs first time, but after that we ad- set on fire, violent explosions oc- direct hits being and shells and now under siege by mechanised units backed up

headquarters, motor transport by the weight of infantry.

parks and garages.

Air Attacks

apted ourselves to the swaying. It curring and barracks, police

felt like being in a liner in the registered on middle of the Atlantic hit from [

me to time by angry waves.

there.

Practically the whole camp was

Similar raids were made on onemy troop concentrations and motor transport to the north- west of Bardia.

A nervous waiter stole across Twelve Italian bombers and a the carpet and asked us not to sit ablaze when the last British air- score of fighters this afternoon

"The roof is rather thin,"craft left the scene.

"You sit there at your from a height of 500 feet attack- he said. ed British troops in position cwn risk." He beat a hasty retreat nearby, inflicting neither damage and we were left in a sort of no nor casualties with strafing and man's land. machine-gunning.

During the first lull in the bar- Westward from Bardinandoge I went up to my room, on the

An R.A.F. fighter squadron on deeper into Libya, Graziani le eighth floor to sleep. Half-way offensive patrol shot down five reported to be holding in read through the second raid I was Italian planes while two other! ness about 200,000 soldiers, des aroused by the noise! It seemed Italian aircraft broke formation pite the enormity of this losses to crash across the building sever-in difficulties but were not ac- in prisoners, and casualties real times, and the swaying at that tually seen to crash. sulting from the initial impact height made me feel giddy. of the offensiva.

The gold of the bursting shells The astonishing velocity of Bri-made the sky look like an animat- tain's Middle East military tomed astronomical globe in an old- ado is realised by the fact that it fashioned algs: I could not sec has taken me precisely as long in the enemy, but I could follow his a fast-Ford utility van to cross path by the shell-bursts Three the recently Italian-occupied part searchlight beams sought him out of Egypt as it did the British and relentlessly, their silence awe- Imperial forces always a day inspiring by contrast with the big ahead-shattering through enemy; gun, opposition the whole way over, tho very worst. patches of boulder- strewn deserf I have ever seen and under most difficult weather conditions--Reuter.

KENYA

NNG PARADES KERMISH

It davennoudged, that there. will

22/1240 10/41.41 inclusive & After

In Albania

The R.A.F. communique adds| that in southern. Albania, Valona and Krisonero were raided suc cessfully.

Italian fighters and anti-air- craft were active,

• One Italian plane), attempted. to raid · Aden, on Wednesday night--but did no...»damage.

An attempted · raid on - Malta: the same day was equally unsuc- cessful, the British shooting down. one Italian bomber.

From all these operations all British planes returned safely. Reufer.

..can troops.

The Italians retired, leaving two dead, 70 camels and some equip

beno-parades of the H.KV,DC. An Italian attempt to Training ʼn fladre arrand Training Coys during the two weeks take the initiative in the end of this week, the nexenya ended disastrously, parade will therefore be as fol↑ It is announced in Cairo.

We:sustained na Jossus. rows Training Cadre and Ve The Italiaus raided a town; on In the Sudan, patrol activity) teram 20.28quad Monday, as 81.41;tha northern frontier...butʊwere continues around Gallabat and] Training CoyTuesday, 7.1,41, overtaken by a body of East Afri- Kassala, Reuter,

ment.

IN THE

to a place, of safety when the alert is sounded.

At many small branches, how- ever, there are no underground strong rooms, and, on occasions the branches will be temporarily closed during raids.

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