§ 7. Mr. Purbrickasked the Secretary of State for War how long after the capture of Benghazi by our Forces was it before they were aware of the overwhelming forces that existed at Tripoli; and, as they precluded any prospect of a successful attack thereon, why were orders not given immediately for the destruction of the aerodrome, port and water supply and 1057 our troops withdrawn, and a similar process followed at the other bases up to the Egyptian frontier?
§ Captain MargessonThe operations in Libya were fully dealt with in last week's Debate, and I have nothing to add to the statements made by the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on that occasion.
§ Mr. PurbrickIn that statement did not the right hon. Gentleman make it clear that the military information was satisfactory, and in that case would it not have been advisable to have had our troops withdrawn from those places much more quickly than they were, so as to avoid the necessity of having to go and bomb all those places more or less ineffectively?
§ Captain MargessonI do not think it would be wise to go any further than the Prime Minister went in his carefully prepared statement.