MOWED DOWN BY TANKS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 303, 5 October 1935, Page 5

MOWED DOWN BY TANKS.

GALLANT RESISTANCE FAILS. FIRST CONFLICT IN THE AIR. ADOWA MUST FALL. (Received This Day, 11.0 a.m.) ADDIS ABABA, October 4. Mr Noel Monks (the “Sun-Her-jald’s” correspondent) says that Italy’s mechanised army had decided .victories over the primitive bare-footed Abyssinians along the north-eastern frontier to-dayi and it is considered to he only a matter of hours before Adowa falls and Mussolini’s first big objective is reached. Italian tanks .literally mowed their way through the Abyssinians at Maibaria and Mount Ramab, capturing both points.

In the meantime a pathetic S.O.S. has been received hero from Ras Seyoum,- >vho ,foi' 24 hours has been gallantly defending A game. It read:

“Fighting to last man; unable to hold out much longer.”

We waited hours for further news when came a flash,

“Agame fallen.” Even the Emperor knows no more than that. Abyssinia’s hero to-day is Johanms Robinson, an American negro pilot, who when returning to Addis Ababa from A clow a with urgent dispatches, was attacked by two Italian ’planes, which after a brief fight turned and flew toward Eritrea. Robinson said that Adowa could only hold out to-night unless reinforced. It is officially estimated that 5000 Abyssinians have died since yesterday and as many more are wounded. The Emperor is determined not to declare war on the invaders. the weather is getting unbearably hot and this is greatly in Abyssinia’s favour.