UNDER 40 MILES FROM ERITREA CAPITAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 76, 31 March 1941, Page 7

UNDER 40 MILES FROM ERITREA CAPITAL.

BRITISH TROOPS. Battle-Weary Italians In Flight. t'nit.'il Press Association.—Copyright. (Red). 11 a.m.) LONDON", Mar. 30. A message from Keren states that the British forces are chasing the retreating Italians from the town, and are now less than 40 miles from Asmara, capital of Eritrea. Infantry and artillery continue to push on, engaging the battle-weary and tat'.ered battalions.

Italian losses in killed, wounded and raptured in the Battle of Keren are estimated to be at least 10.000. The roads to Keren are pitted every few feet with >he!l holes aud bomb craters. Many Italian lorries lie shattered by the roadsides, surrounded by the bodies of their drivers and crews. There are dead bodies even in the streets of the town, presumably of those killed in the final bombardment. A Cairo headquarters communique, quoted by British Official Wireless states that in Libya there is no change in the situation. '"In Eritrea our advance towards Asmara, is steadily progressing. So far we have captured 3775 prisoners, including 08 officers, together with a number of guns. "In Abyssinia, advancing from Harar, our troops are now well on the way to Diredawa. the resistance en route being brushed aside and a number of prisoners with equipment Laving been taken. "In other areas pressure on the withdrawing enemy is being maintained." An Italian communique, by cable. says: '"Our troops have evacuated Diredawa (in Abyssinia) and have reached new positions to the west in good order. Knemy pressure continues east of Keren, but is hindered by our counter-attacks." Abyssinia Successes. Possession of Diredawa. by the British will cut the railway from Addis A<bai>a to Jibuti.

Three hundred Europeans, 50 Africa i-. and ten heavy guns have been capture*! in the Harar area in clearing up operations, which are still progressing. More prisoners, are coming in.

A Cairo communique describee the continued advance, after the fall of Keren, toward Asmara, says a British official wireless message. It says that, while there is nothing of importance to report in Libya, the advance eastward of Keren is progretsing. The situation in Abyssinia continues to develop satisfactorily.

In Eritrea Royal Air Force yesterday continued southward from Keren. Motor transport and troops on the Asmara road were heavily bombed and machine-gunned. At least 50 vehicles were damaged severely, And many casualties were inflicted among troops. Several direct hite were obtained on military buildings. In the Asmara area gun emplacements and a bridge were bombed.

In Abyssinia, between Adi Urgi and Adowa, a convoy of troop-carrying vehicles was machine-gunned. TThere was further heavy bombing of the Addis Ababa railway. South African bombers obtained direct hits on three trains, and a fourth'was Get on fire by near misses. Bombs dropped at Miemt struck Tt warehouse and started a big fire among the station buildings. At Arba. a train -was hit and railway buildings were set alight.

Motor transport between Diredaw*. and Awash and a motor transport park in the same area were heavily attacked, salvos of bombs being observed to fall among the vehicles. From all these operation.?, the aircraft returned safely with the exception of one 'bomber.