OWN TROOPS FIRED ON

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 3, 3 July 1940, Page 7

OWN TROOPS FIRED ON

OPERATIONS IN AFRICA

AERIAL ACTIVITY

(U.P.A. and Official Wireless.)

(Received July 3, 12.40 p.m.)

LONDON, July 2

An official statement by the British headquarters in the Middle East says that details have been received of an Italian blunder on ' the KenyaAbyssinia frontier which involved the. Italians in considerable losses.

At dawn on June 28, in the neighbourhood of Moyale, in a small defended frontier village in the northern province of Kenya, a concentration of Italian troops mistook a patrol of Banda—ltalian conscripted native levies —for British troops, and opened fire. Several unfortunate Banda were killed or wounded.

Their comrades returned the Italians' fire, causing several casualties.

When the mistake was discovered the Italians rallied and turned artillery and machine-gun fire on the British across a valley at Fort Harrington and attempted an attack which was a complete failure. No British casualties or damage have been reported.

An R.A.F. communique issued

Cairo states: —

"Our planes, pressing home an attack against Gondar (Abyssinia) despite heavy anti-aircraft fire, set fire to one bomber and seriously damaged five others, and also set fire to buildings near the hangars. We suffered no casualties;.

"A formation of bombers raided an oil refinery and oil tanks at. Augusta, in Sicily. The refinery was set. on fire.

"Direct hits were secured on one enemy lorry convoy and two gun positions in the Moyale area.

"Enemy planes visited Sidi Barrani, but there were no casualties and no damage was done.

"The aerodrome at Azozo was also successfully attacked by our bombers. Italian planes bombed Mersa Matruh yesterday but there- were no casualties or damage."

LATEST REPORTS,

The latest official information regarding the. East African operations is contained in communiques issued.today lm Cairo and Nairobi. The former ■says: "Operations are continuing, at Fort Capuzzo, in the Sidi-azseiz area, in the western desert, between our advanced troops and the enemy,., who have been reinforced. In Somal'iland our patrols successfully raided Barumo. On other fronts there is. nothing to report." The Nairobi communique statesr "The Italians 'launched their third attack against Moyale, on the KenyaAbyssinian frontier, at 3 p.m. yesterday, but made no progress. The situation was. quiet at 6 p.m.. During the attack our aircraft again bombed military targets in the neighbourhood of Italian Moyale. Good results were obtained from direct hits.- During the night. th_ front was* quiet."

ITALIAN VEfeSION.

An Italian, communique states: "On the border of Cyrenaica an Italian plane bombed enemy armoured cars, setting on fire and damaging some of them. Two Italian planes have not returned. Italian air force planes surprised repeatedly and very effectively bombed big enemy convoys south-east of the Mediterranean.

"In the East Africa region Italian planes effectively bombed the port and supply stores at Berbera, in British Somaliland.

"Enemy planes tried to raid Massawa, but two were shot down,, and the Italian navy brought down another* in flames.

"The enemy bombed Augusta, in Sicily, but prompt defence by naval aircraft thwarted the attack. One enemy plane was brought down. The damage done was insignificant."