Evening star., 1942-06-23
Sevastopo| Halls Nazis> Reds Say;
American Planes in Bengasi Raid;
U.S.. Ship Is Sunk 88 Feared Dead
British Expecting
Quick Nuzi Drive
Against Egypt
B, the Associated Press.

CAIRO. June 23.-The United
States Army has hurled it's big
four motored Consolidated
bombers into the defense of
Egypt with a damaging raid on
the Axis supply base of Bengasi,
Libya. it was disclosed today.
With the battered British 9th
Army expecting a drive eastward
into Egypt at any time by the Ger
man-led troops who captured To-
bruk and moved up to the border.
the United States flyers joined the
Raj in heavy raid Sunday night
on Bengasis piers and railroad, an
Raj communique reported.
Many fires were started in the
damaging assault.
The Raj alone raided other Lib
yam points, shooting up airdromes
and transport, and reported torpedo
hits on merchant vessel in an
Africa bound Axis convoy.
Aerial Patrol Constant.
Constant aerial patrol Is being
maintained. in addition to the
bombing and strafing in the Ameri-
can and Raj bid to keep the Nazis
and their Italian satellites from
getting set for the expected quick
thrust against Egypt
|. RAF observers reported that
large numbers" of German Italian
vehicles, presumably carrying troops,
were in the vicinity of Sidi Azeiz.
II miles west of the border. where
they were attacked by fighters and
bombers, but it was reported here
that the great bulk of the enemy
strength still seemed TO be some so
miles west of the border.
IN Rome the Italian high
command said advanced Axis
elements had reached the Egyp-
tian frontier. .Mopping up op-
erations have been completed
and the number of prisoners
taken at Tobruk is more than
28O00,' Rome communique
said
Land activity in the desert area
near the border thus far has been
limited to incursions by enemy ar
mored patrols southwest of the
frontier post Of Fort Capuzzo where
British mobile forces also were
active
Steps Taken to Meet Rommel.
How soon German Field Marshal
Erwin Rommel can launch an at
tack on Egypt remained a debated
question here but steps to meet him
were being taken quickly.
While Egypt and the Near East
unquestionably are menaced by the
forceful German drive eastward. the
situation was not greatly different
from that of last summer, when the
Germans also were at the frontier.
or even in September 1910. when an
Italian army was 10 miles inside
Egypt.
In the earlier instance, 1t is true,
there were no Germans among the
invaders, but British strength. espe-
cially in equipment, was only a frac-
ton of what it is today.
Two serious aspects Of the situa-
ton, however. are the extent of what
the British lost in the past four
weeks of fighting in Libya. especially
in tanks. and the possibility that
Marshal Rommel will get important
reinforcements across the Mediter-
ranean In a short time.
Material Losses Heavy.
The extent to which the Axis can
add to it's forces in Africa depends
on what it can afford to withdraw
from Europe rather than on diffi-
cuities of getting it across the Medi-
terranean, now that Malta has been
largely neutralized.
British losses in Libya were heavy
and, although much material was
destroyed before withdrawal. the
speed of the latest German attacks
was so great that some fell into
their hands.
They are quick at putting cap
tured equipment to use.
After long conference with Gen.
Stone, general officer commanding
British troops in Egypt. and with the
Egyptian premier and defense min-
lister, British Ambassador Sir Miles
Lampson reported the situation is
satisfactory"
Sir Miles said. I'VE shall beat the
enemy decisively.
The population should remain
ca I'm.
I'VE have confidence.
Last year the situation was much
worse, and in spite of that we won. "
The Egyptian government mean
(See LLBYA, Page A-4D