Pacific News-Review

Notes And Comment On

The Progress Of The War

From Dec. 11 To Jan. 13

Dec. 11: The British Army under General Wavell launched an offensive against the Italians in the Western Desert of Egypt at dawn on December 9.

The Italian defences crumpled every where. The British, working to a closely co-ordinated plan, in which the RAF and the RAAF are co-operating overhead, while the British Navy shells the Italians from the sea, are sweeping on quickly and taking large numbers of prisoners.

Dec. 11: Following on the important loan made to China recently by the United States, Britain is to lend China £5,000,000. These gestures by the two great democratic nations represent Democracy’s reply to the threats of the Dictators, made at the behest of Japan, that if the Democracies assist China against Japan, the Axis Powers would take action against them.

Dec. 11: The Italians are still retreat ing in the coastal and central sectors of Albania and there has been fierce fight ing in the northern sector, with further successes for the Greeks.

Dec. 11: A speech by Hitler—the first for a considerable time —strikes an entirely different note. In contrast with the bombastic boasting of the past six months, Hitler now tells the German people that they are I faced with great tasks and sacrifices and that, if they are defeated in this war, German culture and nationalism will be set back for centuries.

Dec. 11: The rapidly-advancing British forces have isolated and surrounded the Italian stronghold of Sidi Barrani and are advancing along the coast towards the frontiers of Libya. The Italians are retreating* rapidly and surrendering in thousands.

Dec. 12: Although the Greeks are mak ing slow progress and constantly harry ing the Italians, it is clear that Albanian operations are almost at a standstill owing to bitter winter weather. The country is covered deeply with snow.

Dec. 12: Sidi Barrani, Western Egypt, was captured by British on December 10.

A most important part is being played by RAF in rolling back the Italian armies into Libya.

Dec. 12: In one of the most outspoken statements made by a representative of Britain since the war began, Lord Lothian, British Ambassador in United States, warned Americans that their fate was linked with that of Britain. “With your help, Britain is sure of victory,” he declared. His frank warning made a tremendous public impression. The fol lowing day Lord Lothian died suddenly.

Dec. 13: At least 20,000 prisoners have been taken already by the British in the Western Desert, with enormous quanti ties of tanks, guns and equipment. Con sidering their equipment and fortifica tions, the quick collapse of the Italian armies has caused general surprise. The routed Italian armies are retreating rapidly towards Libya, with the British in full pursuit.

Dec. 14: A German raider on Decem ber 7 and 8 sank a number of British freighters near Nauru Island.

Dec. 14: Within limitations imposed by winter weather, the British continue to conduct large-scale air raids against objectives in Germany, while the Ger mans continue their blitzes against British towns. Sheffield has had a par ticularly severe attack.

Dec. 15: The British, pursuing the retreating Italians, have crossed the frontier into Libya. Prisoners estimated at 25,000 and enormous war material are being transported to Egypt.

Dec. 15: The British made three air raids on Naples last night. An Italian warship was severely damaged by a bomb.

Dec. 15: The head of the French State (Marshal Petain) has discharged Laval from the position of Foreign Minister and appointed Flandin in his place. Laval is reported under arrest.

Dec. 16: Japanese newspapers and Gov ernment spokesmen are still uttering threats of war against the United States —but American preparations to aid Britain to the fullest extent are going on without disturbance. Japan, while talking much, is obviously hesitating. She has plans made and a force assembled for the southwards thrust which many believe is planned against the East Indies; but, in view of America’s firm and uncompromising attitude, and the apparent difficulties of Japan’s Axis partners in defeating Britain in Europe, Japan does not care to take the irre vocable step.

Dec. 16; The British already have counted 27,000 Italian prisoners in the Western Desert and more are still coming in. They have captured Solium, a small port, and are pushing on towards Bardia.

The British victory in Egypt has been hailed with delight throughout the United States and commentators say that prob ably this destruction of the Italian Libyan army is the most important war development since the collapse of France.

The defeat of the Italians by the Greeks in Albania and the British in Egypt has destroyed Italy’s plan against the Suez Canal and the Haifa pipeline. This must cause a re-casting of Axis plans.

Dec. 16: It is persistently reported that Petain has refused permission to Ger many to send troops across southern France to the aid of Italy.

Dec. 17: It appears that Laval had quarrelled violently with Petain and had planned a coup timed for last Sunday, under which Laval expected to get con trol of the Vichy Government. He was acting in close collaboration with the Germans and one of his first acts, had he succeeded, would have been a declara tion of war against Britain. He is now under close arrest.

Dec. 17: RAF bombers on Sunday night made a prolonged raid on targets in the Berlin area; while German bombers attacked industrial regions in the north

of England.

Dec. 17: The RAF bombed Mannheim, an important German railway and in dustrial centre, from 8 p.m. Monday until dawn on Tuesday. It was one of the most devastating raids made against a German town.

Dec. 17: It is believed that, as a result of the RAF bombing of Naples on Sat urday, probably five of Italy’s six capital ships now have been accounted for.

Dec. 17: Although the Italians at Sidi Barrani in the Western Desert were fairly easily defeated, the Italians at other strong points 'near the Libya frontier put up a stronger resistance, but were “mopped up”. The British forces are row deep in Libya. They have isolated Bar dia and are pushing on towards Tobruk, Dec. 18: Now that Italy has proved useless as an ally in the Mediterranean, and the Vichy Government has refused Germany’s request to allow German troops to pass through southern France, there is much speculation concerning Hitler’s future plans. Some believe that he will organise an invasion of England on a vast scale —others that he will use his military strength to strike at the British Empire through the Balkans and

Turkey. But his plans and movements are enveloped in mystery.

Dec. 18; The Australian troops have entered the battle in the Western Desert and an American correspondent reports that they will attack Bardia. Dec. 18: The Italians are contesting every step of the Greek advance in Albania—but, slowly and steadily, the Greeks are advancing. It is believed that the Italians are preparing anew defence line north of Valona—which means that they are contemplating abandoning half of Albania to the Greeks.

Dec. 19: Although the British in the Western Desert have taken some 30,000 prisoners, and enormous booty, and have invaded Libya, their total losses in killed and wounded do not exceed 1,000.

Dec. 19: Germans intervened in the situation at Vichy, with the result that Laval, who had been placed under arrest by Petain, was released and is now active in his pro-German associations in Paris.

He is out of the Government, but he told pressmen that his political career is not at an end.

Dec, 20: There are persistent uncon firmed reports that Germany is sending large reinforcements to Italy’s assist ance. Some say that 50,000 Germans have entered Italy.

Dec. 20: On Wednesday, a strong British naval force under Admiral Cun ningham passed through the Straits of Otranto and successfully bombarded Valona, Italy’s main supply port in southern Albania. Lighter British forces penetrated 150 miles into the Adriatic without a sign of Italian warship or merchantman.

Dec. 23: Manchester last night became the object of an enemy blitz —its first big aerial attack. It lasted many hours; numerous fires were started and much damage done. Last night the RAF attacked enemy targets in Norway, Ger many and Italy. The German indus trial city of Mannheim received another pounding.

Dec. 23; The British have now evacu ated 36,000 prisoners from the Western Desert, including 1,700 officers.

Dec. 24: Negotiations between France and Germany are reported to have been resumed at the point where they were broken off when Petain dismissed Laval.

Dec. 25: It is announced officially that the Australians are moving up to join the British in the impending attack on Bardia.

Dec. 25: It is understood that the Ger mans intend to refrain from making air attacks upon Britain on December 25 and 26 “unless compelled to retaliate”, and that the British will take the opportunity to rest their pilots and look over equip ment.

Dec. 25; The United States is enjoy ing its most prosperous Christmas since 1929; the Christmas celebrations are the gayest since the slump.

Dec. 25: The Greeks, still advancing slowly, now hold a quarter of Albania, and are only 20 miles from Valona.

Dec. 27: People everywhere are dis cussing the strange, unsought and un declared Anglo-German truce in the air war. Londoners have not heard the air raid sirens since Monday night-. There was moonless, foggy weather over the English Channel during the Christmas holidays and a calm sea —perfect con ditions for an attempt at invasion—and the heavily-armed guards who line the English Channel coasts were doubled in case Hitler tried a surprise thrust.

Dec. 28; Nauru Island, in the Pacific, was shelled heavily by an enemy raider.

Buildings and loading equipment were seriously damaged.

Dec. 28: In an engagement between British warships and a powerful Ger man warship, in the Atlantic on Christ mas morning, the raider was hit amid ships, but escaped, owing to her superior speed. One British cruiser was slightly damaged.

Dec. 30: Reports from neutral sources, that the Vichy Government, resenting continuous German pressure and refus ing to hand over the French fleet to Germany, is making plans to leave for North Africa, are not accepted in Lon don. There is no doubt, however, that there have been lively exchanges between the Germans and the Vichy Government, and that Petain insists on the Franco- German armistice being observed.

Dec. 30: The RAF is carrying out a systematic plan to smash the submarine bases and aerodromes in western France from which raiders leave to prey on merchant shipping in the north Atlan tic. Smashing attacks on the French Channel ports are taking place every night.

Dec. 31: President Roosevelt announced that the United States must become the great arsenal of Democracy. He said: “We have furnished Britain with great material support—we will furnish far more in the future. No dictator or com bination of dictators will weaken that determination by threat of how they will construe that determination.” Mr. Roose velt added that he believed that the Axis powers were not going to win the war and he based that belief on the latest and best military information of Europe.

Dec. 31: On the night of Sunday, De cember 29, great waves of German bomb ers dropped tens of thousands of incen diary bombs, in a deliberate attempt to set the City of London afire. Enormous damage was done. Large areas of the city were converted into a blazing inferno.

Famous buildings, including the Guild Hall, were destroyed. Fleet Street has been badly smashed. • Jan. 1: While smoke rose from the burning ruins of some of London’s most beautiful and most ancient monuments, British people solemnly affirmed that their primary purpose in 1941 is the defeat of the enemy and the creation of anew and better order when victory is won.

Jan. 1: All authorities agree that Ger many, in the first six months of 1941, will try by every means in her power to successfully invade and over-run Britain.

Jan. 1: Japan’s Premier Konoye says there will be strained relations in the Pacific in 1941 because Japan was “firmly determined to break the Anglo- American conception of the status quo”.

Lasting peace and prosperity, he said, could be attained only by forcing large scale changes, and Japan had under taken the re-organisation of East Asia.

Jan. 1: The chief lesson of the incen diary raid on London last Sunday night is that the cities must in future be guarded by thousands of “spotters”.

Their posts will be on the roofs of buildings, and their duty will be to extinguish the incendiary bombs which are dropped. Such services are being hurriedly organised on a vast scale. Had they been in existence in last Sunday’s raid, half the fires could have been prevented.

Jan. 3: RAF, on Wednesday night, heavily attacked the city of Bremen, and enormous damage has been done there.

The city was blasted with bombs, and then set on fire with incendiaries, Jan. 3: British forces have reached the

outer defences of Tobruk, in Libya; while a large force, including one Australian division, is preparing to assault Bardia.

Jan. 3: There are constant reports of German troop movements across Hun gary to Roumania, and general belief that Germany is preparing an invasion of the Balkans through Bulgaria, with a view to taking Greece in the rear, and possibly attacking British oil wells in Iraq, and the Suez Canal.

Well-informed people do not accept this theory. There are growing indica tions that the people of Roumania in tensely dislike their German overlords, and general rebellion is simmering.

Great damage has been done by sabotage to the Roumanian oil-wells, to prevent Germany securing the maximum oil supply. Large German forces which are moving into Roumania are to keep the country in subjection.

Jan. 3: Survivors totalling 496, landed from German raiders in New Guinea and brought to Australia, reached an Aus tralian port on January 1. Full story elsewhere in this issue.

Jan. 3: Further Greek successes in Albania have imperilled Italian positions on the coastal sector. The Italians are believed to be retiring to their new for tified line, back of Valona.

Jan. 3; For the second night in succes sion, German bombs fell on Eire. Dublin suffered some damage. Eire is making strong protests to Germany.

Jan. 4; Striking just before dawn on Friday, January 3, an Australian division, supported by British tanks, penetrated the defences of Bardia.

Jan. 4: On three successive nights RAF forces dropped explosive bombs and 20,000 incendiary bombs on Bremen, vir-

News of New Guinea men in the AIF—See page 68.

Shipping Services In The Pacific

These time-tables, formerly a feature of the “Pacific Islands Monthly”, give too much information about movements of shipping and therefore may not be published while war conditions last.

tually wiping out the shipbuilding yards, docks, warehouses, factories and railways of that important German city.

Jan. 5; Official figures of Britain’s merchant shipping losses disclose that for three weeks the total has not been much more than half the average. It is too soon to hope that Britain’s mea sures against U-boats are taking effect.

It is not denied that Britain’s ship ping losses are serious—so much so that rationing of Britain’s food has been con siderably increased—and that the air attacks upon London and important Eng lish cities have caused enormous destruc tion. Nevertheless, Britain steadily is increasing her output of war materials and gaining in military strength, and her confidence in ultimate victory is grow ing, There is much evidence that Britain is accumulating an enormously powerful fleet and air force with which to smash Germany in the coming summer. New British battleships increase Britain’s battleship strength to 19—more than the combined strength of Germany, Italy and Japan.

Jan. 6: Carrying out what is described as a “clockwork” attack on Bardia, Brit ish and Australian troops penetrated the defences of the town on Friday and com pleted its occupation on Saturday and Sunday. It surrendered at 1 p.m. on the sth. They have taken enormous quanti ties of war materials and over 30,000 prisoners—making a total of 68,000 Italian prisoners since the British attack began.

Jan. 7: The Italians have abandoned the aerodrome, near Tobruk, in Libya,

and the British have captured 40 planes, which had been damaged by RAF bomb ing and abandoned. The Australians who attacked Bardia suffered about 600 casualties.

Jan, 7: It is persistently reported that Germany will occupy Bulgaria. Turkish officials say that if German forces move across Bulgaria to attack Greece, Tur key will fight.

Jan. 7: Amy Johnson, famous woman flyer, who was engaged in “ferrying” machines for the Air Force, came down in . the Thames Estuary in mysterious circumstances and was drowned.

Jan. 8: The important seaport of Tobruk, in Libya, is now invested by British forces.

Jan. 8: Ships of the Petain Navy are passing through the Straits of Gibraltar, unmolested by the British, and going to bases in French West Africa.

Jan. 8: Most important decisions have been taken by the United States Con gress, implementing the determination of the Government not only to give every possible aid to Britain, short of war, but to spend the unprecedented total of 10 billions of dollars before June 30, 1942, upon the American army, navy and air force.

It is clear that the virtual collapse of Italy, the hesitancy of Japan in plunging the Pacific area into war, and the clearly stated determination of the United States to do everything possible to prevent the defeat of Britain, have created a situa tion of extraordinary difficulty for Hit ler. Commentators are studying every scrap of information from Germany and central Europe, seeking some indication of how Hitler is going to solve his problem.

Jan. 9: The Greeks have captured and occupied the important town of Klimura.

Greek destroyers penetrated the Adriatic and shelled Valona.

Jan. 9: The British now virtually sur round Tobruk, in Libya.

Jan. 10: Native Abyssinians, supported by British aeroplanes, are harrying the Italians. Americans report that Britain has assembled 100,000 men in Kenya, wherewith to attack the Italians in Somaliland and Abyssinia.

Jan. 10: A Nazi broadcast says that Britain is preparing to invade Eire, and Germany is determined to react in the same way as in Norway and Belgium— that is Germany will invade Eire.

Jan. 11: Reported from Switzerland that Mussolini has dismissed 14 regional Fascist leaders, on suspicion of disloyalty.

Jan. 11: President Roosevelt hlas ordered the American Navy to be man ned to full strength and to be divided into an Asiatic fleet, a Pacific fleet apd an Atlantic fleet. The creation of an Asiatic fleet is new and significant.

Jan. 13: The British continue to ham mer Tobruk with artillery and aero planes. The town must fall soon.

Jan. 13: German air forces definitely have joined the Italians in the Mediter ranean zone.

Jan. 13: Another German fire-raid on London on Saturday night failed, owing to alertness of thousands of rooftop spot ters in extinguishing bombs.

Mr. Justice Gore returned recently to Papua after a short visit to Australia.

His Honor was accompanied by his son, Mr. Richard Gore.

Dr. w. E. Giblin, well-known in New Guinea and Papua, passed through Port Moresby recently on his way to Sydney.

He will return to Papua early in the New Year, to take up his duties with the APC at the new oil township Kariava, in the Gulf of Papua, on the Vailala river.