Evening star., 1941-11-30

Libya, the towns of Bardia, Tobruk
and Bengasi-familiar place names
in the year-old seesaw battle for
Italy's North African colony-are
back in the headlines.
Most of the action in the strug-
gle for Libya has taken place along
the shores OF Crenaica.
The ClrenaiCa region comprises
the great hump of Libyan territory
that iuts into the Mediterranean
east of the Gulf of Sidra. Its physi-
cal formation is a significant factor
in the battle area. The main COM
munication route from east to west
lies by way OF the coast. along
which a thousand mile motor road
was officially opened TO traffic from
French Tunisia to Egypt about two
years before the outbreak of the
present war.
The coastal plain often is hemmed
in between the sea and high noun
tains or inhospitable plateau land.
In places the plain narrows to half
a mile or less, sometimes disappear
ing altogether as steep slopes eX-
tend to the blue waters OF the Med
iterranean. In such spots the motor
road turns inland TO climb the hills
overlooking the sea. Where the road
runs close to the sea much of 1t IS
open 10 attack, and reports from
time to time have described the
bombaroment Of Italian troops by
the British Warshlps.
Some Strategic Objectives.
Spaced more or less regularly from
east TO west along the Cirenaica
coast are the ports OF Bardia. To-
bruk. Derna and BengaSl Bardla
recaptured in the current British
offensive. is small city of between
1000 and 5000 inhabitants. situated
within 10 miles Of the Egyptian
frontier. With its excellent harbor,
it was a haven for German subma-
rineS during the early years OF the
World War, while modern improve
ments. including an airport, storage
facilities and repair shops, made it
useful to the Italians as supply
base on their initial drive into Egypt.
In the surprise counterattack by the
British in the winter of 1910, Bardia
was the first Italian port to fall.
About $50 miles west of Bardia
'T'nhr11k pt%iti cl, ic1o n
in Eastern Libya since the second
Axis advance toward Egypt in the
spring of l94l pushed the rest of
the imperial troops back into the
Egyptian desert. With normal
population of about 42OO people, it
has one of the best natural harbors
on the Libyan shore. The port and
city had been considerably mod
ernized and improved during Italian
rule begun as a result of the Italo-
Turkish war of 1912. Tobruk was
given an airfield. a hospital radio
station and refrigeration plant, al
ways appreciated in the desert
colony of Libya The city. however
lacks an adequate water supply
which is augmented in peacetime
by water shipped from Derna, about
100 miles west.
L. S. Once Held Derna.
Derna is especially significant to
Americans as the city over which
the United States flag once few
1t was in the early 1800s. during the
war between the United States and
Trlpoll over the activities of the
Barbary pirates. With an interna-
tional army" of Arabs. Greeks and
Americans. former American Consul
General William Eaton pushed
across 600 miles of desert from Alex
andria. Derna was captured in
April, 1905. with the aid of a few
ships of the United States NAVY
and remained in American hands
until peace was made in June of
that year. Modern, peacetime Derna
is known as the pearl of Libya."
Its life-giving springs make it par
tlcularly valuable as military
station.
Inc leaolng city OF embattled
Cirenaica, however, is its capital
Bengasi, normally Italy's chief naval
and air base for Eastern Libyi. Ben
gasl was the westernmost point
reached in the temporary British
drive of 1910 into Libya. An ancient
town. it had population of about
$4,000 at the outbreak of the war.
Since taking it over from the Turks
the Italians were reported to have
spent millions improving the city
and its harbor facilities. Through
Bengasi came many of the italian
troops and supplies used in the first
campaign against Egypt in the pres
ent war. To this port, also, came
peaceful army of colonization in