Evening star., 1940-12-11
English Army Faces
Clash With Main
Fascist Force
Nv the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
CAIRO, Egypt, Dec. 1.-THE
British announced today that more
than 5000 italian prisoners have
been taken in the offensive in the
western desert, together with
quantities of war materiel"
A communique said operations in
the western desert were progress
ing satisfactorily"
The huge quantities. of war
materiel seized have not been sorted
out, the communique said.
Gn London, military circles re-
ported that British troops now
are dealing with pockets of Ital-
ian resistance" around the camps
in the zone of Sidi Barrani,
Egypt, which they stormed earlier
this week.
0n Rome, the italian high
command admitted Italian troops
had been forced back to Sidi Bar
rani from point southeast of
that outpost by British armored
divisions, but claimed that heavy
casualties had been inflicted on
the British in fierce fighting)
Face Head -on Clash.
The British Army, having driven
q wedge between important Italian
at Do, mi
and other italian forces farther
west. faced a possible head-on COL
lision with the main body of Mar
shall Rudolfo Graziani's North
African troops.
Royal Air Force headquarters
said six italian planes were shot
down in the western desert yester-
day and declared the British con-
tinued to bomb all italian air
dromes in the Libyan desert in ad-
dition to Italian camps. troop con-
centrations and motor transport.
A number of aircraft were destroyed
at the El Adem Airdrome, the COM
munique said.
High explosive bombs dropped
last night set fire to several
hangers and smaller buildings, it
reported, while other bombs hit
aircraft, a number Of which ex-
ploded.
The flames of the fires were
visible so miles away, the British
said, and lighted the desert like
a beacon as new relays of planes
arrived for the attack.
Firmly Established on Coast.
Reports from the front indicated
British troops were firmly estab-
lished on the Egyptian coast between
Sidi Barrani and the Libyan from
tier, 10 miles away, and were en-
deavoring to mop up strong Italian
forces isolated by the sudden desert
drive.
Parts of two italian divisions were
reported trapped in the Sidi Bar
zani zone.
Both the Royal Air Force and the
navy were said to be keeping the
approaches to Sidi Barrani under
heavy bombardment to prevent the
Italians from rushing reinforce
ments to the rescue.
Blitzkrieg Methods Used.
Because of the difficulties of the
terrain the British held the successes
they already have attained as par
ticularly significant. Blitzkrieg
methods, in which mechanical units
played an important part, were said
to have been a big factor in the
British drive.
The italian advance forces re-
ported isolated by the British were
said to be within triangular area
formed by the towns of Sidi Bar
rani, Maktila, IS miles east along
the coast, and Nibeiwa, Is miles to
the south.
Nibeiwa was said to have fallen
to the British soon after the action
started, while the Royal Navy
pounded Maktila and Sidi Barrani
with its heavy guns.
NIeulI lOI GIlt SuCCtSS Vi llle bIll-
ish drive was given here to 59-year-
old 1t. Gen. Sir Henry Maitland
Wilson, who, as commander in chief
of the troops in Egypt. has organized
his forces into a striking army.
Mechanized 9Th Brigade.
Wilson, 6 feet tall and an old
Etonian, was the first man in the
British Army to command a COM
pletely mechanical unit.
In 1885 he was given command of
the 9Th Infantry Brigade and
whipped it into a modern, high
speed outfit, which formed a model
for development of Britain's present
armed forces.
Wilson served as a lieutenant in
the South African War with crack
Infantry brigade and won the
Queens medal, with two clasps, and
the Kings medal, with one clasp,
for his service in that campaign.
He was a regimental and staff
officer during the World War, was