Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1941, The British Commonwealth; The Near East and Africa, Volume III

740.0011 European War 1939/9122: Telegram

The Chargé in Egypt (Hare) to the Secretary of State

Cairo, March 17, 1941—3 p.m.
[Received March 18—6:30 a.m.]

121. It has been learned from a British official source that Berbera¹ was captured as a result of a fleet operation at 7 a.m., March 15, but thus far news of the event has not been released. Control of this port will give the British a much better supply line for their East African forces than from Italian Somaliland ports and will also facilitate planned utilization of air bases in British Somaliland and East Central Abyssinia as soon as advance troops are able to occupy those areas.

Hare

1. In British Somaliland.