AOSTA GIVES IN

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 199, 20 May 1941, Page 7

AOSTA GIVES IN

Stronghold Surrendered

In Abyssinia

LONDON, May 19

It is officially announced that the Duke of Aosta has accepted the British terms for the surrender of the Abyssinian stronghold of Amba Alagi. and that Imperial troops will occupy the town today. It is not known whether the Duke of Aosta is still with the Italian forces in Amba Alagi. A The garrison in Amba Alagi is stated to consist of 7000 Italian and colonial troops, the majority being Italians. The occupation of this stronghold will be of the greatest importance. Not only was it strongly defended, but it controlled the north and south communications of Abyssinia.

A General Headquarters communique from Cairo earlier reported: “We have surrounded the Abyssinian stronghold of Amba Alagi. and the enemy com-mander-in-chief, the Duke of Aosta, has sent emissaries to seek terms of surrender for the whole of the Italian forces in that area.” The surrounding of Amba Alagi resulted from a series of brilliant operations by the Indians and South Africans, closely supported by the Royal Air Force. The British operations in Southern Abyssinia are continuing successfully. Reuter’s correspondent in Khartoum says that the first move in the Duke of Aosta's negotiations was made early on Friday morning. The order to cease fire was arranged for 6 o’clock that evening, and it was also arranged that if the terms were not. acceptable hostilities would bo resumed at 9.15 p.m. Many Prisoners. it is stated in London that with the Duke of Aosta’s forces at Amba Alagi the total number of prisoners captured in the Middle East will be 200,000. Amba Alagi is a fortress on the mountain of that name. At the end of last month Dessie fell to British forces composed largely of South Africans, and the British troops immediately began their long and arduous advance to Amba Alagi. The difficulties of the advance were intensified by obstacles manufactured .by the enemy and by guerrilla tactics'in the mountains. The Indian troops advanced on Amba Alagi from the north, while the South Africans advanced from the south,. and the forces were assi.sivd by Abyssinian

patriots. A xveek ago the Duke of Aosta is reported to have said: “I will never surrender; I xvill hold out, if neecssary, in the remotest mountain region.” An Italian communique issued yesterday prepared the people for tlie fall of the Italian stronghold. It said that the defenders xvere performing prodigies of valour, but spoke of the difficulties being encountered owing to scarcity of supplies, the losses that have been suffered, and the impossibility of evacuating the wounded. The viexv in London is that the Duke of Aosta’s move does not necessarily mean that the Abyssinian campaign will come to an end immediately. The Duke is apparently of the view that further resistance at Ambo Alagi would

be useless, bin no mention is made of the two other centres of Italian resistance—tile Gondar district southwest of Amba Alagi and the Lake district about 200 miles south of Addis Ababa. Hitler’s Orders. The Duke may well refuse to drop i Italian resistance in these areas, following Hitler’s instructions to keep going in Abyssinia as long as possible so as to occupy a portion of the British forces as long as possible away from Libya. If, however, the majority of the Italian troops in Abyssinia are trapped in the Amba Alagi area, it is likely that the surrender of the Italian forces there will result in a similar move in other districts.

In the Gondar area, aircraft of the Free French forces attacked motor transport and troops, and aircraft of a Rhodesian squadron of the South African Air Force carried out operations in support of the British troops. Details of the siege of Amba Alagi show that the Italians made refuges from the Britisli artillery fire by tunnelling galleries in the cliff face and digging gun emplacements out of the rock. In these small caves the Italians were immune from anything but direct hits. The defences were intended to meet an attack from the north, but were vulnerable to the South African advance from the south, although even from this side there were immense natural ramparts. Three hours of concentrated mortar lire by Transvaal troops blew the enemy out of the dug-outs and about 200 wore mown down with machine-guns. Later a hundred or more were shot down when they lied, and very few of the Italian force escaped. British and Imperial forces are pursuing the retreating enemy to a town in the Lake district. After the fall of Dessie. British troops pursued the fleeing Italians southward. The military spokesman in Cairo last night said that the terms for the surrender of Amba Alagi had been handed to the Duke of Aosta’s emissary. Though no details have been published, the spokesman said they would certainly include the surrender of the Duke himself, (be general commanding, and the Italian force there. Later. It is learned in London that the Duke of Aosta has surrendered with his troops.