RETREATS IN AFRICA Ever-Increasing Speed

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 31, 6 February 1941, Page 9

RETREATS IN AFRICA

Ever-Increasing Speed

TRAIL OF ENEMY MATERIAL

LONDON, February 5. News from the African battlefront shows that the Italian retreat in Libya is speeding1 up, and in Eritrea a trail of discarded material marks the path of the retreating1 Italians there. On all fronts the Royal Air Force has made repeated attacks on the fleeing- columns. Today's reports of the fighting' on the African battlefields give a picture of the Italian forces being driven back at everincreasing* speed and of the Royal Air Force pounding away at the retreating enemy and sweeping' opposing* aircraft from the skies. Twenty enemy machines were destroyed yesterday. Last, but not least, comes the news that the Mediterranean Battle Fleet has been cruising* for four days well within range of shore-based enemy planes without once being* attacked.

Today's Cairo communique about the fighting in Libya says that the Italians are increasing the speed of their withdrawal towards Benghazi, chased by British forces. About 400 stragglers have already been taken prisoner. As. they retreat through the mountains of Cyrenaica the Italians are being repeatedly attacked by the Royal, Air Force. Motor vehicles on the road half-way between the coast and Benghazi were heavily damaged yesterday, and the railway was,seriously affected by three direct hits on the tracks outside Barce station. , British bombers made repeated raids yesterday on the lines of retreat in Libya' and on the aerodrpme near Benghazi. British fighters were also active, and during the day they shot down one Italian bomber and one fighter and destroyed an enemy flyingboat at anchor. A bomber was also found crashe&'at Apollonia. In Eritrea our troops are increasing their pressure around Keren, the road and rail centre which lies in the mountains two-thirds of the way from the Italian front to the Red Sea. To the south-west, the Italians retreating from Barentu are being relentlessly pushed to the east. British bombers, cooperating with land forces, attacked enemy transport winding down the road from Keren to Asmara. The British advance in north-west Abyssinia is officially stated to be progressing along the road to Gondar. HUNDREDS MORE PRISONERS. In addition to the prisoners already reported, many hundreds of others have fallen into our hands. A fighter squadron of the South African Air Force in Eritrea attacked an Italian landing ground. Five bombers fully laden with explosives were standing on the landing field. ' They were set on fire, and the bombs exploded, blowing the machines to pieces. Four more Italjan bombers were observed burnt out at another aerodrome, and one bomber and two fighters were captured at Barentu. They were put out of service by earlier attacks. Fighters of the squadron which destroyed the five Italian bombers intercepted Italian fighters near Asmara and shot down one of them, and followed up the attack by machine-gunning and destroying a bomber on the ground. British bombers as well as fighters were active over Eritrea, and motor transport between Keren and Asmara was attacked. South African troops, operating into southern Abyssinia from Kenya, are tightening their hold on positions recently captured, and today's official report on the fighting in Italian Somaliland says that British oatrols have continued to be active in ill sectors. One small force yesterday ittacked and captured a position 45 niles inside the Italian frontier. Both he South African Air Force and the Air Force have given assistance over this extensive battle front. Royal Air Force planes caused great damage on an Italian aerodrome where they delivered three direct hits on hangars. South African machines have been co-operating with the army, and one fighter pilot alone shot down three Italian bombers in a single engagement. Today's Cairo communique reports that enemy aircraft were intercepted by British fighters when they raided Malta yesterday. At least three German bombers were shot down, and others were severely damaged. The raid caused slight damage to buildings. From all operations over Libya, Eritrea, Abyssinia, and Malta one British bomber and one fighter are missing.

quantity of guns, ammunition, and stores. General Wavell recently visited the Eritrean battlefront and watched a phase of the battle at Barentu. A Cairo headquarters communique this evening states: "In southern Abyssinia the capture of frontier posts on the Dukana front, referred to in yesterday's communique, resulted in the infliction of nearly 100 casualties, killed and captured, at slight cost to ourselves. Intensive patrol activity has continued in Italian Somaliland." A Nairobi communique says that Imperial forces operating from Kenya are making good pr#gress along the front. British forces are showing themselves more than a match for the enemy, and casualties are very slight..