First Blows at Italy
Italy's aggression against the Allies has extended the war to Africa, and it was on African soil that the first blows against her Air Force have been dealt by R.A.F. bombers of the Middle East Command. These were struck with splendid punctuality and within a few hours of the hour appointed for the opening of hostilities. The Italian aerodromes both in Libya and East Africa seem to have been taken by surprise so effectively that concentrations of aircraft were destroyed on the ground and petrol depots and bomb dumps set on fire, and substantial damage was done a day later at the important Libyan port of Tobruk. By the swiftness of their action the R.A.F. have done such despite to the principal Italian air bases that Italy's air striking power in the Middle East is already crippled. General Smuts's promise that South Africa would help to defend the Empire in his own Continent has been promptly fulfilled by the action of aircraft of the South African Air Force, who have bombed military objectives on the Kenya-Abyssinia frontier. In these engagements British forces have been released which have hitherto been inactive and are quite distinct from our forces in the West. Their use in no way weakens operations on the French front. Aircraft have also been spared to give the Italians themselves a taste of the war they have invited. On the first day of war military objec- tives were bombed in Northern Italy. Mussolini's intervention in the war brings into operation against him far-flung military resources which have till now been immobilised.
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