1941-01-22 — Page 32

..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.

We have a good stock of

Gentlemen's

RAINCOATS

in all sizes.

Made in England

from reliable cloths

that are rainproof but

not airproof allow-

ing a free passage of

air through the pores.

of the fabric.

Many fabrics in Wool

and Cotton Gaber-

dine, also Trench coats made by Simp-

son's of Piccadilly,

London.

INSPECTION INVITED

Wm. POWELL, Ltd.

10, Ice House Street

Cairo Communique

afternoon.

and

These were for the co.amond

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.

GENERAL ÉLECTRIC

Refrigerators

KAMADE IN ̈U.S.A......

OW ON OUR EASY PAYMENT PLAN

eryone. Phone 28001 for a Free Your Home without. Obligation.

ANDERSEN, MEYER & CO., LTD.

ted and Published for the Proprieto terprise Ltd..

GORDON CADE BURNETT, Kari