Evening star., 1941-01-08
British Massinq
Men, Guns for
Tobruk Siege
Major Libyon Port
Reported Cut Off
Except for Patrols
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
CAIRO, Egypt, Jan. 8-The
British Army of the Nile massed
men and guns in the Tobruk area
today preparatory to laying siege
to that major Libyan port, reported
already cut off except for the move
ment of small italian patrols.
"The concentration of our forces
in the Tobruk area is continuino &"
The British command said tersely
in telling of the Speeuy sweep u
its forces across the Libyan desert
sands in their race against time
for another Bardia"
Tobruk, 70 miles beyond cap
tured Bardia, was reported already
blocked from the west by British
troops firmly holding the Italian
built road which threads through
the desert. Small Fascist patrols
may be able to get through, the
British reported, but asserted their
forces were in a position to nip
the movement of any reinforce
mentS to the defenders of Tobruk.
Casualties Less Than 600.
In the capture of Bardia with its
10000 Italian prisoners. the Brit
ish communique reported, British
and Australian casualties numbered
less than 600"
Already the British were declared
to have rendered $4,000 italian
troops ineffective" in the battle of
North Africa, including the Bardia
prisoners and those captured or
killed there and at Sidi Barrani.
(Virginio Gayda, the authori-
tative Fascist editor. declared in
Rome today that British dead
and wounded" at Bardia num-
bered thousands"
Elsewhere on the African front
the British high command reported
continued patrol activity on the
border between the Anglo-Egyptian
Sudan and Kenya.
Withdrawal Held Necessary.
The speed and power of Gen. Sir
Archibald P. Wavell's mechanical
cavalry constitute such a threat that
the Italians must withdraw from
Tobruk at once if they hope to make
a stand at Bengasi, British military
circles said today.
An attempt to defend Tobruk,
whose outer Notifications already
have been tested by British armored
patrols. may result in a major
disaster for the Italian arms, these
circles said.
Once the Army of the Nile, sup
ported by the British feet and the
R. A. F., lays siege to that Libyan
port, its defenders never will reach
Bengasi, more than 200 miles to
the west, the British declare.
Faces Dash to Tripoli.
If Marshal Rodolfo Graziani
suffers defeat at Tobruk, he has
little chance of holding Bengasi,
according to the British view, and
then will face the prospect of
making a hazardous 500-mile dash
to Tripoli, harassed from sea and
air.
"If GRAHAM defends Tobruk. he
won't get back to Bengasi, and if he
retreats to Bengasi, he won't get
back to Tripoli-at any rate as a
fighting force" one commentator
declared.
The Tobruk garrison was reported
to have less water and fewer sup
plies than the defenders of Bardia,
which fell to the British last week
end.
British general headquarters an
nounced Yesterday advance forces
already had occupied the Tobruk
military airport, Is miles south OF
the town.
1t also was announced the Royal
Air Force had dropped tons OF
bombs on Tripoli Monday night,
hitting one vessel in the harbor
squarely, damaging others and set
ting port buildings afire.
Presence of the British forces In
the vicinity of Tobruk meant they
had advanced more than l25 miles
since launching their drive one
month ago tomorrow with an attack
on the Italian outpost of Sidi Bar
rani, in Egypt. The spearhead of
the British offensive now is some
200 miles from the nearest Egyptian
railhead at Matruh.
Prisoners Problem.
The British are facing a difficult
rrOh1em in caring for the 10 000 or