THE CAPTURE OF DESSIE

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23319, 3 May 1941, Page 9

THE CAPTURE OF DESSIE

NEARLY 8000 ENEMY

PRISONERS

BRITISH PURSUIT CONTINUES

(Received May 2, 7 p.m.) (U.P.A.) LONDON, May 1. A message from Dessie says that the enemy dead number at least 400. The capture of the town was achieved entirely by South African infantry, armoured cars, and artillery. In Abyssinia, prisoners captured during and following the occupation of Dessie total 5:50 Italians and 2400 colonial troops. A number of senior officers were among the prisoners. The British have also taken 93 guns. Operations to link up the northern and southern columns converging on the defensive position held by the enemy in the region of Amba Alagi are continuing, although progress has again been held up by the many road demolitions. In the southern areas the British pursuit continues and many more prisoners have been taken, while desertions among the Italian colonial troops are daily increasing, A message from Nairobi says that the capture of Dessie is a considerable victory fQr the British, as the Italian positions included seven forts and many strong points. When the British approached the town. Italian civil and army officers came out in a car, waving a white flag, and surrendered unconditionally. The strength of the British assault is shown by the fact that the South Africans took in 10 days a position which the Italians expected to hold for at least three months, The Italians had made extensive preparations and had stored thousands of. tons of supplies and materials in r'ssie. Speed of Advance.* One of the most outstanding factors in the victorious Abyssinian campaign, says a Nairobi message, was the sustained ..speed with which the British units advanced 1800 miles in less than 60 days in face of European troops. All branches of the military machine showed superiority over the enemy, including motorised units, road makers, water suppliers, the Army Service Corps, and the engineers, who performed incredible feats across the Juba and Awash rivers and over roads wrecked by demolitions. Gunners of the South African Air Foroe at Harrar and in the Mardt Pass have left Italian aircraft lying all over the country, ' , ■ Peoples as well as units have shared the glory. The King's African Rifles started the advance towards Liboi, and led the coastal sweep. The South Africans smashed the-enemy's resistance over the Juba River and at Dire Dawa, and lately led the victorious entry into Dessie. The Nigeri ians rushed Brawa and Mogadiaho, and without a pause swept over the blistering plains and rugged mountains to take Jig Jiga and Harrar; and Gold Coast troops broke the Italian morale in the Juba country, after which they fought a brilliant engagement in inaccessible country. ' ■ “In Abyssinia on Wednesday and Thursday the Royal Air Force and the South African Air Force machinegunned enemy transports near Assab and in the Sciascimana area,” reports Royal Air Force headquarters in the Middle East. "Considerable damage and casualties were caused. An enemy camp north of Maji was also bombed and machine-gunned. “Enemy aircraft . raided Malta causing some damage to Royal Air Force property and inflicting a few casualties. One Junkers 88, which had already, been damaged by anti-aircraft fire, was shot down by Royal Air Force fighters. Another was brought down by anti-aircraft guns and a number of others were damaged. , “Numerous flights were carried put by Royal Air Force fighters protecting the final convoys in the evacuation of our troops from Greece. From all. these operations three of our aircraft are missing.” DEATH OF ITALIAN GENERAL WOUNDED IN RAID ON TRIPOLI (Received May 2, 10.30 p.m.) ROME, May 2. It is officially stated that BrigadierGeneral Mielc, Chief of Staff of the Supreme Comufiatta Gf the Italian Forces in North Africa, died from wounds received in a British air raid on Tripoli. SIR JAMES PARR ILL LONDON, May 1. Sir James Parr, a former High Commissioner for New Zealand in London, is seriously ill at his home in Hertfordshire. '• BRITISH MINISTER TO JUGOSLAVIA LONDON, May 1. The .British Minister to Jugoslavia (Mr Ronald Campbell) sndjiis staff are safe in a hotel at Durazzo, in Albania, alter the failure of their attempt to escape in the British submar. Ine Regent. They were at the quayside waiting for the submarine when the Italians occupied , the town, _ They are hoW awaiting -a fecial aeroplane from Rome to take them to Lisbon. Gift from Danes.— Danes in British Malaya sent £1993 to the Minister for Aircraft Production, to celebrate the anniversary of the' German occupation of their country,—Rufiby. May U .