ITALY LOSES NATIVE TROOPS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21709, 17 February 1936, Page 11

ITALY LOSES NATIVE TROOPS

DESERTERS JOIN RAS DESTA

(Received February 16, 7.5 p.m.) DESSIE, February 14. It is officially stated that 650 Eritreans, with rifles, machine-guns, and full equipment, deserted from the Italian southern army to Ras Desta, who expects additional deserters. The Addis Ababa correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" says that an Abyssinian chief who arrived from the northern front declares there is always a chance of the askaris deserting from the Italians because they are of the same race as the Abyssinians; but if they do not desert they are ferocious fighters, clever in utilising their ground, mobile, and fearless, often resisting to the last man. The Italians, on the contrary, are not mobile, lack the dash of the askaris and fear hand-to-hand fighting.

BOTTLE SUCCEEDS WHEN BOMBS FAIL

(Received February 16, 9.43 p.m.) ADDIS ABABA, February 15. After dropping a dozen bombs harmlessly, an Italian aeroplane accidentally dropped a bottle of Chianti, which struck and killed one of Ras Seyoum's warriors.

ITALIAN PATROL DRIVEN BACK

(Received February 16, 10.2 p.m.) MOGADISCIO, February 15. A reconnoitring patrol of native troops fell foul of Abyssinians 60 miles north of Gerlogubi and retreated with a loss of 30 killed. They claim, however, that they achieved their object by revealing the strength of the enemy in this area.