BRITISH ADVANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 87, 14 April 1941, Page 7

BRITISH ADVANCE.

ITALIANS PURSUED.

Asking Protection From

Abyssinians.

United Press Association.—Copyright.

(Reed. 2 p.m.)

I-OX DON", April 1:$.

Road demolition in eertain areas is holding up the British advance along the route from Dessye to Gondar in Abyssinia, but operations are proceeding satisfactorily, states a Cairo report. The patriot movement is eniwing steadily and Italian residents are showing increasing tendency to ask for protection from the Abyssinians.

An earlier British Otfieia 1 Wireless mc»age >tate<l that the ItaJian forces which ere retiring in all directions from Addis Ababa have withdrawn down "'blind alley*" 200 miles long—the roads which radiate from the Abyssinian capital like the spokes of a wheel. Som« have "one toward Dessye. hut the bulk have retired toward the Debra Marcos and -liiunia districts.

The Italians have been using cavalrymen in recent weeks to protect civilian* in outlying districts. Abyssinian pa-tri* ots attacked -toil men of one regiment, •100 being killed.

40,000 Prisoners. A War Office communique records that the total number of prisoners captured from the commencement of the present operations in Eritrea until the capture of Massawa is 40.000. of which 1000 are Italian officers. 14.000 are Italian other milks, and 2."i,000 arc colonial troops.

Our fighters attacked the aerodrome a-t Aloniatan in northern Abyssinia yesterday and severely damaged motor transport and a number of grounded aircraft. South African fighters attacked grounded enemy aircraft at Sciaeoiamanna and burned out two Capronis and two fit her planes. From all these operations three of our j.lanes are missing* but the pilots of two are safe.

, Retreat Cut Off. Marhiiie- of the. South African Air lorce bomlH-d ."><HHI Italians who. with •>0 vehicles, were jammed between the British forces and Debra Marcos and Addis Ababa. Their retreat has l>een cut off. 1 he. main Italian forces with the Duke of AoMa are at -limma.

I'ollnwinw tlie light- at Adana. other Italians are In-in;: <lri\en south pa*t Ae-ele and tlie lake districts, bevond which further retreat is blocked." by forces from Xeghc.!!i and Vavello.

Pri-oners are i-tiil steadily streaming i"t«' Add:s Ababa. say*- a cablewrani; I w lvi" thou-and Italia lis. including two oat tahons oi Black shirts awl two regiment*-* «»1 cavalry. have been disarmed in the pa-t three days. About 200 of tlie l)uke. of Aetata <- i«*rsoiial lxxlvsiiard are among 4000 men in a prison camp near th<- capital.