Movement in Libya
The announcement that Ioo,000 tons of Axis shipping have been sunk in the Mediterranean by the R.A.F. and submarines in the first half of September is of considerable importance. It is not stated where the Axis losses occurred, but two cate- gories of shipping are no doubt involved, transports bound for Tripoli or Benghazi, and tankers going to fetch, or bringing back, oil from Constanza to Italy—though Italy is not necessarily its final destination. The damage done in either case is likely to have serious effects on the Axis plan in Libya, where the opening of the campaigning season is now near ; the recent activity at Tobruk may, indeed, well be the prelude to some- thing much more important. There is no doubt that many enemy convoys are getting safe to harbour ; the whole of the Atlantic cannot be effectively patrolled. But many are failing to get there, and many that do arrive are liable to be bombed before they can unload. Meanwhile there is now a steady flow of American aeroplanes and other supplies to the Red Sea ports. As a result of that, and of large reinforcements which have reached General Auchinleck, British forces in Egypt would have reason to welcome rather than fear an enemy offensive. Movements in Libya are directly related to developments in other theatres, for while the Germans are counting on the desert war to detain British troops which may be needed in Iraq or Iran, it is at least as likely that the Germans themselves may have, if they can, to divert tanks and aeroplanes from the Russian front to the Libyan.
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