STEADY BRITISH ADVANCE

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23264, 26 February 1941, Page 9

STEADY BRITISH ADVANCE

Important Gains In East Africa

HEAVIER PRESSURE IN SOMALILAND (UNITF.D PRESS ASSOCIATION— COPVRIGHT.) (Received February 25, 11 p.m.) LONDON, February 25. The Italians in East Africa are being steadily pushed back, and yesterday brought news of more smashing blows at Italy’s East African empire. In Eritrea, the capture of Kubkub has opened a back door to Keren, 20 miles away, while the fall of Gelib and Margherita has smashed Italy’s “Siegfried Lane” in Somaliland, opening a way for an advance along the coast to Brava, on which advanced forces are already matching, and also for a drive along the Juba river to Bardera. Brava is an important port and roa3 centre. The main town before Mogadisho and _ Bardera, it unites roads dominating the main inland commpnicaiions. A British Army spokesman in Cairo said that the Italians in Somaliland might be forced to make a general retreat.

British, Free French and Indian troops captured Kubkub, which is a natural defensive position. It was manned by a large number of wellarmed troops, but prisoners taken in the town were caught by surprise, as they did not believe a large force could succeed in smashing its way through the scrub-covered ,peaks dominating the road from El Ghena.

Four hundred prisoners were taken in the Kubkub region. The drive on Keren is continuing, Many Arabs are arriving in the British lines from Massawa, where they were employed. They say the food situation is so serious that the Italians drove them out. They say that Massawa is in a state of panic and that refugees are pouring in from Asmara and Abyssinia. Several Italian warships at Massawa are making no effort to move, but are engaged solely in condensing sea water to help out the town’s supply.

The South Africans who took Margherita had 10 days’ gruelling fighting. They occupied Kismayu aerodrome, six miles from Gobwen, and then advanced eastward.

Two hundred Italian colonial troops armed with machine-guns ambushed the South Africans, who replied with mortars and cleared out the ambushers. Battle for Jumbo

Then they pushed on through almost impenetrable bush. The South Africans occupied Gobwen and then began a four days’ battle for Jumbo. Their greatest ordeal in capturing Jumbo began when two companies of Cape Town and Transvaal troops set out to capture the bridge and ferry crossing the Juba river between Gobwen and Jumbo. They emerged from bush into open country and encountered point-blank artillery and machine-gun fire from Jumbo. The South Africans during their withdrawal suffered their worst shelling since the campaign began, especially the Cape Town troops, who withdrew across Gobwen aerodrome, where every target was accurately registered by the enemy. Two thousand shells fell in two hours. A company officer used an armoured car in the middle of the aerodrome for headquarters, and gradually dribbled his men to the shelter of dunes. Another officer who was wounded in the ambush the previous night concealed the fact and carried on for 24 hours. The South Africans held the dunes for three days under shell and shrapnel fire, but the Italians showed no enterprise, and did not attempt to cross the river. War Material Taken

A Natal regiment has mopped up the coastal area between Kismayu and the mouth of the Juba river, clearing up patrols and collecting large quantities of material hidden in seaside caves which the Italians had fitted with steel doors.

Bridging materials and supplies have been rushed up and preparations for a full-scale advance eastwards are virtually complete. The advance has been continued in north-west Abyssinia, where advanced troops have reached Gondar. A communique from British headquarters in Cairo states: "In lijritrea our forces, advancing from the north, dispersed Italian troops holding positions about Kubkub. Many prisoners were captured. Our advanced troops have reached Amanit.

"In Italian Somaliland, following the capture of Margherita and the important Italian post of Gelib, our advance on the whole area east of the River Juba is developing successfully.-Many prisoners and quantities of material have been captured.” , An Italian communique reports that the Jarabub garrison, 150 miles south of Bardia, resisted violent attacks. The Italians bombed troops and mechanised forces in the neighbourhood of Kufra. 500 miles south of Benghazi. Fighting was continued in lower Jubaland. ATTACKS FROM THE AIR SUSTAINED BRITISH OFFENSIVE ITALIANS BOMBED AND MACHINE-GUNNED (BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.) RUGBY, February 24. A communique issued by the headquarters of the Royal Air Force in the Middle East says: "In Eritrea on Sunday a South African squadron made a low-flying machine-gun attack on aircraft on the landing ground at Makele, and destroyed five Savoia 79 bombers and three Fiat CR32 fighters. Several other Savoia 79’s were seriously damaged, A fourth CR32 was shot down in, the air. "On Saturday a Royal Air Force fighter shot down another Savoia 79 north of Massawa. Further south, at Neghelli, in Abyssinia, South African bombers registered direct hits on motor transport, dumps, and warehouses.

“In the Brava area, in Italian Somaliland, on Sunday, South African bombers attacked motor transports and destroyed at least six. "From all these oprations, one bomber and one fighter have not yet returned.” . A bulletin from the Middle East headquarters of the Royal Air Force states that bombers are constantly being bombed up and filled for flights into enemy territory. Then, as they return, the ground crews take charge and work at high pressure to. prepare the aircraft for another raid.