IMPORTANT WEDGE BEING DRIVEN

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 141, 11 March 1941, Page 7

IMPORTANT WEDGE BEING DRIVEN

Drive From Somaliland

('By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.)

Received March 10, 10.20 p.m. LONDON, March 9. British troops occupy almost two-thirds of Italian East Africa s vast surface. In two months they have captured 100,000 square miles in Italian Somaliland, 29,000 square miles in Eritrea, 39,000 square miles in Abyssinia to the south and west of Lake Tana, 10,000 square miles on the Kurmuk front of Abyssinia and 1 0,000 square miles on the north Kenya front. This does not include the large gains that are at present resulting from the record-breaking drive of South African armoured forces toward Gabre Darre on the main road from Mogadishu to Harar. These armoured forces, which are probably nearer to Harar than hitherto has been indicated, are driving an important wedge between British Somaliland and the rest of East Africa.

The South African armoured forces have advanced no fewer than a thousand miles in six weeks and are now approaching the area of Blarshal Graziani’s drive in the Province of Ogaden (north-eastern Abyssinia) in 1936. During the short rains which are normally due in April the terrain will be more difficult as the Abyssinian highlands are approached, but the magnificent road will be of much assistance. The Italians in Keren are still stubbornly resisting. They number at least 40,000 and include some of the best Eritrean regiments and a stiffening of Savoy Grenadiers. Natives’ Vigorous Chase. A Cairo headquarters communique states: “In Libya and Eritrea there is nothing of importance to report. The vigorous pursuit by the patriot forces in Abyssinia of the retreating Burye garrison is continuing. British troops in Italian Somaliland have occupied Gabre Darra, on the main road from Mogadishu to Harar. On the other fronts the extension of the British areas of occupation has been proceeding, with many additions to the number of prisoners already taken.” A message from Cairo states that patriots from Burye have driven the Italians beyond Dambacha (40 miles east of Burye) and are keeping up merciless pressure from all sides. South African troops from LughFerrandi have occupied Dolo (on the border of Italian Somaliland and Abyssinia and near the Kenya frontier) and are pushing on north-westward. The Italians in the Ogaden area are in full flight.

■Planes report that white flags are being flown at points more than 100 miles ahead of the most advanced British forces in this area, where the

Italians are believed to have no forts before Harar is reached. A Royal Air Force communique states: “In Libya during the night of March 7-8 our bombers attacked the harbour at Tripoli, and bombs were observed bursting on a railway line. Enemy aerodromes in Tripolitania were also bombed. Bombers inflicted considerable damage on the . KerenAsmara road in Italian East Africa and attacked enemy troops’ positions in the Keren area. South African fighter planes machine-gunned and burnt out two oil dumps and a lorry south of Asmara. From all these operations our planes returned safely.”