Evening star., 1941-01-06

bdSe-TO ObruE, 70 miles atUay
b. the Associated Press.
CAIRO, Egypt, Jan. 6-Britain'S
Army of the Nile, pushing swiftly
into Libya beyond captured Bardia,
reported today that its vanguardS
already were approaching Tobruk,
Italy'S next big seaport base, 70 miles
farther west
So far, a general headquarters
communique said, the British have
counted more than 10000 prisoners
taken when Bardia'S suicide gar
rison" surrendered yesterday to a
British land, sea and air assault.
"Quantities of tanks, guns, equip
ment and stores of all sorts" also fell
to the British when their flag was
raised over the Fascist outpost, max
ing it the new advance base for
their African drive, the communique
said.
May Strike Again Quickly.
While the rapid thrust into the
Tobruk area does not necessarily
mean an imminent new offensive,
British sources said it would not
be surprising if Gen. Sir Archibald
P. Wavel decided to strike quickly
again before the italians can re-
cover from the Bardia defeat
(ReportS in London said Brit
tsh mechaniZed forces were oper-
ating 20 miles south Of Tobruk
and that a CLOSE blockade" had
been tightened around the port
to guard against any attempt at
a Fascist COunterattaCk against
Britain's wedge in Eastern
IibyaD
British bombers made concen-
trated attacks on Tobruk through
out Saturday night and all day yes
terday, the R. A. F. command an
nounced, adding that one fire started
there was visible all the way to
Bardia.
Eleven Italian planes were shot
down in yesterdays air fighting
without the loss of single British
plane, an R. A. F. communique said.
Other Fascist aircraft we're reported
badly damaged.
Tons of Bombs Dropped.
Tons of bombs were dropped on
Tobruk's military buildings, air.
dromes, naval barracks and defense
Notifications, the communique an
nounced.
R. A. F. planes, guided to their
target by the blazing fire, dropped
additional bombs into the center of
the conf1agration. considerably in
creasing its area" it added.
(SearchlightS illuminating the
attacking troops at Bardia so that
they could be subjected to ma
chine cunning were said in Lon
don to have been a feature of
the Italians defense. However,
the Australians kept their casual
ties low through their ability to
hide among desert rocks and ra-
vines to escape this trick, which
italy employed on the Piave
River front during the World
War;
(Reuters, British news agency,
quoted an Australian communique
as saying Australian casualties at
Bardia do not exceed 500D
The British reported that Bardia,
besleged 20 days and under final at
tack since dawn last Friday, fell
yesterday at l:30 pm.
Capture of more than 10000 Ital-
ians in the suicide garrison" along
with their commander, Gen. Ami
bale Bergonzoli, and five other
senior generals was reported in a
high command communique which
said:
"All stores and equipment are
now in our hands =. It is not
yet possible to make a full count,
but prisoners so far captured exceed
$4,000. Among other booty captured
or destroyed are As light and five
medium tanks"
Military sources here said capture
of the garrison, left behind to hold
out while Tobruk's defenses were
reinforced, meant that GRAHAM has
lost some 10000 of his North African
(See BARDIA, Page A-100