HARD PRESSURE IN ERITREA

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 110, 3 February 1941, Page 7

HARD PRESSURE IN ERITREA

British Cut Road ITALIAN TANKS AND GUNS LOST Big Raid On Tripoli (British Official Wireless and Press Assn.) Received February 2, 7 p.m. LONDON, February 1. A communique issued today by the British General Headquarters in Cairo states: “In Libya contact with the enemy west of Derna is being maintained. In Eritrea pressure on the Italian foices holding the areas of. Agordat and Barentu is being intensified. On other fronts there is no change in the situation. . . _ . It is authoritatively stated in Cairo that British motorized units have severed the 15-mile road linking Agordat and Barentu in Eritrea. The two divisions that retreated from Kassala are reported to have split up, one defending Agordat and the other Barentu where the Italian Resistance is the greatest so far in Eritrea. Neithei town las fixed defences. . . , . •• [A Reuter correspondent reports that the British m an action m the Agordat sector destroyed 11 enemy tanks and 15 guns (states a Daventry bulletin). The Italian positions at Barentu are being shelled. The enemy unsuccessfully counter-attacked.]

Heavy patrol encounters are occurring in Kenya along the frontier, specially at Kisimayu and the frontier town of Moyale, where the enemy still hold the British part of the town. The Tobruk correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain reports that British naval units are speeding up the clearing of harbour wreckage in the harbour of at least 17 Italian vessels to facilitate the use of the port as a new naval base. A Bombay message states that four Italian generals and 1200 officers are among a (batch of a further 3000 Italian prisoners who arrived today. <

A Royal Air Force headquarters communique states: ‘•During last night R.A.F. bombers carried out heavy raids on the docks at Tripoli (west Libyan capital) and several tons of bombs were dropped among ships and seaplanes in the harbour. “An 8000-ton merchant vessel was liit and set on fire, a 4000-ton vessel was also hit and another of 8000 tons was damaged. Bombs which burst among the seaplanes in the liarbour destroyed one by fire and damaged others. "Other bombs straddled the southern mole and seaplane hangars, causing explosions which were followed by clouds of black smoke. Several lires were started on the Customs jetty and railway. The raid was carried out in the face of intense A.A. fire. "The enemy aerodrome at Barce (east Libya) was again heavily raided yesterday by bombers and. fighters. Hundreds of high-explosive and incendiary bombs were dropped. Bombs were observed bursting among the hangars. Other buildings and tents, and the barracks received a direct hit. Two aircraft on the ground were set on fire. Our fighters, which machine-gun-ned the aerodrome, also attacked concentrations of motor transport vehicles there. One Cr. 42 was attacked by our fighters over Barce and chased and shot down in flames near Benghazi. “An Italian Bast Africa fighter aircraft machine-gunned four S.7B’s on the ground at Teranni and destroyed three. Transport yards at Assab were bombed. “From all the operations all our aircraft returned.” Stand Made West of Denia. LONDON, January 31. Today’s communique at Cairo states: “On all fronts operations are developing to our advantage.” Italians, numbering about 6000, are taking advantage of an 800-foot deep ravine to the west of Derna to try and halt the British coastal drive. The Italians are lined along the western rim of the ravine., which runs seaward from 17 miles inland. Several skirmishes have occurred between infantry patrols. Artillery is active on both sides, the British artillery being greatly superior to that of the Italians, who are almost cut off from supplies from the rear. The Italians’ main objective appears to be to gain time for the organization of their defences more to the rear. No doubt is felt in authoritative circles in London that the Italian resistance at Derna has been stronger than any hitherto met by the Army of the Nile. This is thought to be due to the fact that the Italian troops there had not been involved in the previous fighting and had not become infected with the known lack of morale encountered at Bardia and Tobruk. Nor had they been so heavily shelled as the troops defending those places. The British advance continues along the coast to Apollonia, 40 miles away. An official announcement in Nairobi states that our patrols have reached positions 40 miles over the Italian Somaliland border Minor encounters have taken place in that region, and we caused casualties and took prisoners. “Kenya Navy” Acts. A'successful raid ou Italian Somaliland by Nigerian troops is reported today. The Nigerian forces were assisted by units of the picturesque “Kenya Navy,” which is formed largely of schooners, dhows, motor boats, and whaleboats, manned by settlers and men from the interior of Kenya, many of whom, though they had not seen the sea before the outbreak of war, are now efficient sailors. “The Nigerians landed in a mangrove swamp and marched all through the night across the frontier. They found the countryside deserted, and set fire to an enemy village, leaving only a mosque untouched. The village was an .important post for the Italians, who twice carried out raids from it on coastal villages in Kenya.

Today’s R.A.F. communique states: “R.A.F. activities have been mainly concentrated on enemy aerodromes at Barce which were attacked several times. Aerodromes on the main road between Derna and Benghazi were heavily bombed and direct hits observed on hangars and other buildings round the aerodromes. A GR42 was shot down in flames by one of our fighters. Moyale Dive-bombed. “In East Africa aircraft dived on a bridge on the Mega-Neghelli road and straddled it with bombs. In the Moyale area another squadron made dive-bombing attacks on Italian artillery and infantry postions, dropping high-explosive bombs and incendiaries. Other aircraft bombed and machine-igunned enemy posts and buildings at Moyale. “During a reconnaissance flight one of our aircraft which was attacked by a CR42 drove off the enemy fighter and dived and machine-gunned four planes on the aerodrome. “From all the operations our planes returned safely with the exception of one pilot, who is reported missing.”

SERVICE IN ERITREA

Cape Transport Corps’ Work (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, January 31. In reference to the Eritrean campaign emphasis is laid on the assistance given, to the British army advancing on Argodat and Barentu by the Cape technical transport companies which were mentioned in yesterday’s communique. They have kept up a first-class standard of maintenance and efficiency and the pursuit of the Italians could not have been carried out without their excellent work. They consist of Europeans and nonEuropeans. The companies were raised shortly after the outbreak of the war and are legitimate offspring of the Cape Auxiliary Horse Transport Corps which did similar efficient work with horses in the last war.

ITALIAN COMMUNIQUE

LONDON, January 31. Au Italian communique says that with a view to avoiding encirclement at Derna the High Command ordered the evacuation of the town. The troops immediately took up positions to the west and south, repelling attacks by Australian motorized units. “During various combats in the northern front in East Africa we repelled enemy attacks and inflicted notable losses,” states the communique. “The German Air Corps carried out effective bombardment of Suez and Ismailia,” it adds. (Received February 2. 9.30 p.m.) LONDON, February 1. A Rome communique says: "The buttle on the northern front in East Africa continues with fierce fighting. Our valorous national and colonial troops inflicted notable losses on the enemy and the Italian Air Force is cooperating indefatigably.” ITALIAN FREIGHTER TORPEDOED LONDON, January 31. The German news agency’s Belgrade correspondent reports that an unknown submarine yesterday torpedoed an Italian freighter which was en route to Albania from Italy. It fired two more torpedoes while the submarine was in Yugoslav waters. These missed and exploded ou the beach. The ship took refuge in a Yugoslav port