Evening star., 1941-09-17
British Are Believed
Mapping Plans for
New Drive in Africa
Recent Reports Indicate
English and Axis are
Feeling Each Other Out
BY the Associated Press.

Dy INC hseOSIdteu fIcSS
LONDON, Sept. 17.-Signs of in
creasing activity on the North Afri-
can war front stirred belief here to-
day that Britains Army of the Nile,
reinforced by American made planes
and tanks, may be laying the
groundwork for a new offensive
aimed at driving Axis forces out
of Libya.
Dispatches from Cairo during the
past few days have told of re-
peated skirmishes along the Egyp-
tian-Libyan frontier. which indi-
Gated to observers that the British
and Axis forces we're cautiously feel
ing each other out as a preliminary
to possible action on larger scale
(The German high command
said British motor vehicle COL
umns were dispersed by aerial
machine gun and cannon fire on
the Libyan-Egyptian border yes
terday and military sources in
Berlin said the Luftwaffe was
showering British encampments
and truck concentration on the
Tobruk front with bombs in un-
abating attacksD
Heavy Axis Smelling.
In Cairo, British Near East head
quarters reported heavy Axis she'll
ing of British forward positions in
the Tobruk area.
Also in the Gondar area of
Ethiopia, where remnants of the
Italian army have been beseiged
since capture of their main forces,
weather conditions now have per-
mitted resumption of British often
sive operations, the British reported.
The Axis shelling in the Tobruk
area followed British raids from the
besieged port and was described as
heavy in the east. In the south and
west sectors it was reported abating.
British reconnaissance units were
especially active in anticipation of
possible major Axis offensive.
British patrols in the Uolcheflt
area have made several deep pene-
trations, today's Cairo communique
said.
Action Expected by October.
Official circles refused to speculate
on possible developments, but one
source declared there seemed every
reason to believe the situation in the
North African desert would be boil
ing" by early october. Weather
conditions in the desert will be ideal
by then for military operations.
How many men the British have
available for push into Libya is
a military secret, but it is believed
here that Gen. Sir Claude j. E..
Auchinleck, new commander in the
Near East, has 100000 at his dis
posal.
The Near East air command is
reported now to boast almost as
many planes as there were in Brit
ain at the outbreak of the war.
Speculation that the Army of the
Nile might already be on the move
was stirred last night when the reg
ular communique from Cairo head
quarters was delayed unaccountably.
When finally received, however, it
merely reported that two German
columns which had penetrated 35
miles into Egypt during the week
end had retired to the point from
which they started.
Nazis Sounding British.
This German reconnaissance move
was viewed here as an attempt by
the Nazis to sound out British in
tentions. German radio broadcasts
heard in London have suggested
that a British push was quite pos
sible.
One year ago today Italian forces
occupied the Egyptian town of Sidi
Barrani go miles east of the Libyan
border, in drive aimed at Alex
andria. Not until December 9, how
ever, did the British launch the
counteroffensive which drove the
Italians out of Egypt and carried
almost 400 miles across Libya.