OCCUPATION OF DESSIE

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23315, 29 April 1941, Page 9

OCCUPATION OF DESSIE

Imperial Forces’ Success MANY PRISONERS TAKEN (Received April 28, 11 p.m.) LONDON, April 28. A communique issued in Nairobi announces that Imperial forces in Abyssinia on Saturday evening' occupied Dessie, 140 miles north-east of Addis Ababa, where the Italians have been offering a determined resistance. In the advance on Dessie South African forces played a big part. Agency reports say that the Imperial forces inflicted heavy casualties on the Italians, who lost 200 dead. Six hundred prisoners have been taken and others are being rounded up. According to military authorities in Cairo the situation in the Western Desert compares roughly with that of last September, when the Italians reached Sidl Barrani, although the present force is believed to be considerably less than the four to six divisions used then. Two enemy motorised columns, chiefly Italian troops, advancing eastward south of the Solium escarpment, have entered Egyptian territory at several points. It is believed the enemy is not more than 20 miles from the sea. There is no indication of a sweep southwards. The British are continuing their harrying tactics, causing some losses to the enemy. An advance against Sidi Barrani cannot be ruled out.

A communique issued by the Royal Air Force in the Middle East says: “During the night of April 25-26, Royal Air Force bombers carried out another raid on Benghazi and dropped bombs on shipping in the harbour and on other military objectives. Large fires were started near the water tower, the telephone exchange, and army headquarters. There were near misses to ships in the harbour and a violent explosion was caused on a mole. Our fighters machine-gunned and destroyed a number of oil tankers and other vehicles moving between Derna and Barce. “One Messerschmitt 109, which attempted to attack our ground troops, was shot down near Solium. "In Abyssinia, bombs were dropped on a hangar at Macaaca containing a number of enemy aircraft. Fortifications and troops were bombed and machine-gunned at Chelga and Bahrdar, south of Lake Tsana. “From all these operations all our aircraft returned safely." NAZI PRESSURE ON SPAIN Blockade Threat DEMAND FOR FULL CO-OPERATION (Received April 28, 9.30 p.m.) (U.P.A.) LONDON. April 28. The Lisbon correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says that Germany is now exerting economic pressure on Spain in an attempt to compel consent to a policy of full co-operation. The latest move is Germany’s refusal to permit the transport across unoccupied France of an important consignment from a central European country. This consignment has been bought and paid for by Spain and its delivery is vital to the economic life of Spain. It is the first time Herr Hitler has used blockade as a weapon against Spain.

EXTINGUISHER FOR FIREBOMBS

DEVELOPMENT IN U.S.

NEW YORK, April 27. The development of a new and highly effective extinguisher for incendiary bombs has been announced in New York, at the fire defence session of the annual Greater New York Safety Congress. Mr Charles Durfee. of the Pyrene Manufacturing Company, said that the extinguisher was developed in co-op-erative research carried out by the Dow Chemical Company, a manufacturer of magnesium alloys, and the Pyrene Company. "For the first time," Mr Durfee said, “we have a material that will promptly and safely extinguish burning magnesium, whether in industrial plants or dropped by air raiders. It is known as the Pyrene G1 fire extinguishing powder.”

AUSTRALIAN PARTIES UNITE

MOVE FOR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

(Received April 28, 7 p.m.) SYDNEY, April 28.

A Brisbane mesgage says that Federal and state members of the United Australia Party and the Country Party in Queensland have decided to unite and to form a new party to be known as the Country-National Party. The move has been made without the knowledge of the party organisations. Mr Sadden, who presided at the meeting of members, said later that he hoped the step would be the forerunner of similar moves in other spheres leading to the formation of a National Government.

The Melbourne correspondent of the Sydney “Telegraph” says that Labour collaboration in National Government or even in a War Council with executive powers is unlikely. Federal Labour leaders are understood to hold the view that no change should be made in the existing Federal structure in a time of crisis.

Labour spokesmen challenged the suggestions that there has been muddling in the Commonwealth’s war effort. They claim that the Advisory War Council has worked most successfully and should carry on in its present form.

China’s Admiration for Britain.— Madame Chiang Kai-shek, wife of Marshal Chiang Kai-shek, the Chinese Commander-in-Chief, has sent a message of sympathy and admiration to the British people, on behalf of the people of China. Appealing on behalf of the British fund for the relief of distress in China, she said that the fund 'had been a constant source of encouragement. The people of China would never forget, for they had traditionally long memories. Britain had helped them out of what she herself could ill spare.—London, April 27. i ——

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