ITALIAN LEADER’S BLUNDERS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 62, 24 December 1935, Page 5

ITALIAN LEADER’S BLUNDERS.

OPENING FOR GUERILLAS. POSITION GREATLY WEAKENED. LONDON, December 22. The Dessye coiTespondent of the “Times” says that Ras Ayelou’s remarkable drive into Shire territory, resulting in the victory at Dembeguina has greatly weakened the position of the Italian army corps based on Adowa. The stategic error of the Italian commander when launching the campaign becomes apparent now that two dashing guerilla fighters, namely, Ayelou in Shire and Seyoum in Tembien, still actively raiding are within the raiders’ right flank. The first cardinal mistake was when two army corps, concentrated on a small baseline, Entiscio-Adigrat, advanced toward Makale, further restricting the front. Not only might one army corps have accomplished this work, hut it was not wise to occupy Makale for the purp° ses of prestige without first cleaning up the Shire, Tembien and Cheralta regions on tiie right flank and rear. Consequently one army corps based on Adowa had to tackle the gigantic duty of cleaning up Adiabo and Shire, guarding the light flank communications to Eritrea, and establishing communications twice the length of those of the other airny corps systems to Makale via Takazze. It would have been move advisable to establish flank defences at Takazze after the conquest of Adiabo then move the third army corps from Adigrat southwards toward Makale, occupying it in conjunction with two other coips. This would not endanger the right flank and would catch the Abyssimans en masse in the valleys of the Makale plateau, dispersing them by aerial bombardment, whereas the Takazze front remains open .to continuous attacks on Ayslous model, with Ras Imru’s powerful levies fiom Gojjam province waiting to take part.