Evening star., 1940-12-16
British Troops We'll Across
Libyon Border, Cairo Asserts;
Greeks Claim New Advances
Italians Admitted
Holding Strong
SuIum Positions
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
CAIRO, Egypt, Dec. 16.-Van-
guards of Britain's army in the
western desert are well across" the
border in Italian Libya, general
headquarters communique report ted
today at the start of the second
week of the British drive.
The Italians, however, were ad-
mitted to be still holding strongly
defended positions about Salum, u
Egyptian port miles east of the
frontier in the coast sector, where
heavy fighting has been going on
for three days and three nights.
After fighting yesterday almost
blindly through dust storms, Brit
ish forces were said to be forging
ahead in the Salum, Fort Capuzzo,
Bardia sector today in rain. The
communioue said bad weather still
was causing poor visibility.
CThe italian high command re-
ported bitter fighting both IN
Libya and Albania, with heavy
casualties inflicted on the British
attackers by Italian warplanesO
The rain may impede the British
push. but it is not expected to stop it.
Military circles said the British
wanted to keep the Italians on the
run and the desert rain might cause
some delay. The advance is expected
to slow down in any case, however,
because of mopping-up operations
and the extended communications
lines.
It is midwinter and the rainy sea-
son in North Africa now. Normally,
rain falls for three or four days and
is followed by three weeks of bright
sunshine.
Italians Fighting Desperately.
italian troops, battered almost in
cessantly by the big guns of British
warships ranging along the coast,
we're said to be fighting desperately
In an effort to halt the British drive
near the Libyan frontier.
A British spokesman declared last
night that although sit is well nigh
Ill1pOSSlDlC W give OH hSSO4 olC iSSo
where the front line is it can
be assumed that some British forces
already have crossed the border
The British headquarters did not
disclose whether Marshal Rodolfo
Graziani had reinforced his frontier
stand from his large reservoir of
IiEyan reserves.
The belief was expressed, however,
that the Italian commander would
make a determined effort to save
his important Eastern Libyan base
at Bardia, less than 20 miles west
of Salum.
Salum, military observers said,
would be valuable prize to the
British. 1t offers a deep water port
to which the British Mediterranean
fleet could ferry troops and supplies,
saving the long haul across the
desert from Matruh.
May Consolidate Position.
These sources said if Salum fell
to the British they probably would
consolidate their position there, to
safeguard their gangplank to the
sea, before attempting another
major thrust to the west.
The British naval command re-
ported last night that operations
against italian forces and bases
along the coast were continuing
without letup. and said destroyers
sank the 590-ton italian submarine
Naiade.
(7'he italian high command
said a British cruiser of the
Southampton class had been
torpedoed and sunk off the North
African coastD
The British air forces, mean
while, carried the war into Libya
ahead of the mechanical columns.
They bombed the harbor and
military buildings at Bardia twice
during a weekend attack on Fas-
cist air bases all along the Libyan
coast.
CTte Italian communique said
Naples also was bombed over the
week end, starting fires in build
ings and hitting medium sized
warship on which SO crew mem
bers were reported killed and
injured0
Pilots returning from Bardia
Saturday night said they had to
fight their way through at least so
italian fighter planes. A communi-
que yesterday said "a Italian planes
had been shot down and two de-
stroyed on the ground. One British
squadron alone was credited with
downing IA tri-motored Savoia
bombers and four Fiat fighters.
Three British planes were re-
ported missing.