British Perfecting Preparations for Final Assault on Port; Perfect Ca-operation London, Dec. 23.
VER 20,000 Italian-Libyan troops, armed to the teeth and gar-risened in the mighty fortress of Bardia, Libya, were today reported to have dug in strongly vital base' in a battle to death, in a determined bid to defend the Thi report reached here as British military authorities in London indicated that th hour for the final British assault on the fortress was near at hand.
The resistance of the Halians was stiffening in the Bardia region as it was reported that they had removed all valuable air equipment to safety along the Tobruk road and brought up antiaircraft as defence against Bri tish bombers.
Naval guns also were reported to be pouring shells on the Sollum area.
AL the same time, big formations of Savoin bombers, according to the British military authorities, were attacking British convoys os well as the Sollum road alony which an endless stream of British reinforcements was fold to be moving, The British rein~ oreements along this road and vieing ity were reported to be stretched to the Nile.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.