Evening star., 1941-11-20

tonight as confronting the
Axis forces under German
Gen. Erwin Rommel with the
threat of development in a
vast battle now taking shape.
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Nov. 20-Prime Min
lister Churchill declared today
that Britain's long-awaited big
push across North Africa,
sprung out of the Egyptian dawn
two days ago, already had won
positions of marked advantage"
and that the major test cannot
be long delayed"
Weighing his words with cautious
optimism, the Prime Minister told
the House of Commons:
1T is far too soon to indulge in
any speculation. All now de-
pends on the battle which follows.
It is evident that the next few days
will see developments which will
include many highly interesting fea-
lures
Prepared for Five Months.
He said Britain had waited,
planned and massed her strength for
five months before unleasing the
assault.
This" he declared, "is the first
time we have met the Germans at
least equally we'll armed
He said fatty that the purpose of
the campaign was to destroy the
German and Italian armies in Libya
in huge-scale battle of mechanical
ton.
He told the cheering House of
Commons that the British this time
caught their foes by surprise and
added that, just as in a sea battle,
the desert campaign may be set
tied one way or another in the
course of a few hours
The Admiralty announced that
British submarines had torpedoed an
Italian tanker and German supply
ship in the Mediterranean.
Text of Statement.
Following is the text OF Prime
Minister Churchill's statement:
The offensive against the Ger
man and Italian armies on the
Libyan front has begun. This OF
fensive has been long and elaborate
" prepared and we have waited
for nearly five months in order
that our army shall be well equipped
with all those weapons that have
made their mark in this new war.
There is nothing in the world
quite like the war conditions pre-
Vailing in the Libyan desert, IN
which swift and far-ranging move
ments are only possible by the
extraordinary use of armor, air
power and mechanization.
Il do not know whether the trial
of strength has yet taken place be-
tween heavy armored forces, but
it cannot be long delayed.
Conditions are in many respects
like those Of sea war.
The principal units involved keep
wireless silence when preparing and
making their rapid and extensive
movements.
THE encounter. when 1t Is
achieved, is like a clash of fleets and
flotillas and as in a sea battle all
may be settled one way or another
In the course of few hours.
Aim to Destroy Axis Army.
'If in this case the enemy armor
Is DESTROYED or seriously defeated
and air power is dominated the
plight of his infantry and artillery
crowded in the coastal regions
become serious in some respects
The object of the British and
empire offensive is not so much to
occupy this or that locality but the
destruction of the army and pri-
marily the armored forces of the
enemy.
For this purpose the army of the
western desert took up its prelimi-
nary station on broad front from
the sea to GiarSbu oasis and all
was in readiness by nightfall of the
18th.
AT dawn on the 18th the general
advance began.
VERY heavy and exceptional rains
hampered the movement of our
forces which had great distances to
cover.
These rains, however, appear to
have been far more heavy IN the
coastal region than in the desert
and may we'll prove more harmful to
the enemy than to us.
During the 18th our army came
into contact with enemy outposts
at many points and it seemed GER
(See CHURCHILL. Page A-2)