ANOTHER OUTRAGE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 126, 10 March 1936, Page 6

ANOTHER OUTRAGE

BOMBING OF AMBULANCE. THIRD ATTACK ON BRITISH UNIT EQUIPMENT DESTROYED. (United Press Association—Copyright.) (Received This Day, 8.5 a.m.) LONDON, March 9. Simultaneously with the news that Italy had suspended hostilities comes news from Addis Ababa of heavy bombing as Ergaalem. The British ambulance was bombed for a third time. It appears that this third outrage occurred on Saturday while Red Cross officials in London were telegraphing Abyssinia for details of the second bombing. It is believed that in consequence of successive attacks the elaboratelyequipped unit was wiped out. The personnel, however, is still striving to carry on. It is uncertain whether the bombardment of Ergaalem occurred before or after the declaration of a truce, in regard to which it is impossible to obtain confirmation. AIR RAIDS ON RED CROSS. ETHIOPIAN PROTEST TO LEAGUE ITALY PROMISES AN INQUIRY. GENEVA, March 8. An official protest against the bombing of Quoram, signed by the Abyssinian Foreign Minister, who handed to the League of Nations to-day in the following terms: “The Abyssinian Government enters a protest against a second Italian bombing of a British Red Cross ambulance near Quoram. There were happily none killed or wounded, as the staff, together with the sick and wounded, were removed from the ambulance before the bombing took place. The Red Cross ground flag and British flags, all of large dimensions, were, however, left prominently displayed all over the camp. It is impossible for Ethiopian and foreign Red Cross societies to,continue their humanitarian work if they are obliged to abandon ambulances to escape bombing by Italian ‘ civilisers,’ ” It is reported from London that official confirmation has been received from the British Minister in Addis .Ababa (Sir Sidney Barton) that the British ambulance camp was bombed again last Wednesday. Sir Eric Drummond (British Ambassador in Rome) has conveyed to Signor F. Suvich (Italian Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs), the British Government’s protest against the boinbing of the same ambulance on March 3. In response to the Ambassador’s request, Signor Suvich undertook to institute a thorough inquiry into the occurrence and to take measures to prevent a recurrence. ERITREAN FRONT ACTIVITY. <THE MOPPING-UP PROCESS. LOSSES IN TEMBIEN BATTLE, (Received *This Day, 9.45 a.m.) ROME, March 9. Marshal Badoglio’s communique does not refer to a truce On the contrary, it declares that along the entire Eritrean front intense activity continues for the furtherance of operations by detachments of the second line proceeding with the mopping up. The communique says that the total losses in the second Tembien battle were 19 officers killed, '67 officers wounded, and 236 Italians killed,. 831 Italians wounded, 36 Eritreans killed, 119 Eritreans wounded. The enemy losses were 15,000 dead and wounded. The territories recently occupied total 2600 square miles.

ETHIOPIAN’S NEW LINE. ITALIAN ADVANCE CHECKED. HOPES FOR ADVENT OF RAINS. (Received This Day, 9.45 a.m.) DESSIE, March 9. The Abyssians have formed a new line on the plain south of Amba Alagi, completely holding up the Italian advance. They hope to hold the line until the rains, and destroy the Italian communications and morale. The Abyssinians appear unshaken. FIERCE FIGHT CONTINUES. RAS IvASSA’S STRONG LINE. (Received This 'Day, 12.5 p.m.) ADDIS ABABA, March 9. Ras Kassa is reported to hold a strong line at Western Tembien, where a fierce battle continues.