THE BRITISH IN ABYSSINIA

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23362, 23 June 1941, Page 5

THE BRITISH IN ABYSSINIA

Campaign Nearly

Over

TWO MAIN FORCES OP ITALIANS

(Received June 22, 10 p.m.)

(U.P.A.) LONDON. June 21. The Abyssinian campaign is practically over. A few thousand soldiers must still be mopped up, and there are a few generals yet to surrender; but that is all, says a special correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.” Two main islands of Italians remain in the mountainous area north-west from Addis Ababa. General Nasi and General, Martini are commanding a scattered and ‘hreadbare army, with headquarters at Gondar. Their garrisons are dotted round the western shore of Lake Tsana in an arc between Mota and Debra Tabor.

The Italian troops hug the main roads and towns, and their sentries never sleep, because the British are on their heels and the patriots are

right Into their lines. These northern remnants of Italy’s East African Army of 200,000 men are tired, • dispirited frightened, and short of supplies. South-west from Addis Ababa, General Gazzera, successor to the Duke of Aosta, the Italian Commander-in-Chief, who has surrendered, has concentrated his main forces at Agaro, westward of Jimma. They are bivouacking in the steaming uplands, where rain falls oh 200 days of the year. A strange British 1 Army, consisting of English, Sudanese, Free French. East' Africans, South Africans, West Africans, ’Belgians, Poles, Rhodesians, and Abyssinians, is creeping up on the Italians from the north-east, southeast, and south-west. Three British columns are driving in on Jimma, mopping up oh the way. General Gazzera is conducting the Italian retreat skilfully, but it is a retreat to nowhere and he knows it.