British in Africa

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 32, 7 February 1941, Page 7

British in Africa

CASUALTIES LIQHT SO FAR

LONDON, February 6

Once again the news from Africa tells of further British advances on all fronts. The most significant item is still from Eritrea, where Imperial forces are now closing in on the strongly-held Italian positions around Keren. Further south, Italian forces which have withdrawn from Barentu are still being pursued in an area about 20 miles east of Barentu. Today's Cairo communique says that about 1500 prisoners, mostly Italians, have been taken so far and quantities of military material. The communique emphasises that in various operations based on the Sudan our casualties have been light.

The Royal Air Force is giving full support to the Army in its successful operations. It is stated officially that two further enemy fighters were captured at Barentu and two others shot down. Dive attacks were made on gun positions in the hills and on the road east of Keren. Elsewhere bombs were dropped on motor transport with considerable effect.

Details of the fine work done by Indian troops in Eritrea have now been issued in Delhi. The occupation of Barentu came after a five-day battle fought by an Indian brigade through a narrow gorge and a ten-day battle fought along the Barentu road by another brigade. With their experience in hilly country, the Indian troops made good use of the difficult country around Barentu. They drove the enemy from mountain positions at the point of the bayonet and beat off numerically superior forces. Indian troops, it is stated, are among those now closing

The Government of the Sudan has made a gift of £400,000 to the British Government in recognition of the capture of Kassala and the eviction of the Italians from Sudan territory. The gift is made in gratitude of services rendered by the British Imperial troops in close collaboration with troops from the Sudan.-

Today's Cairo communique also reports good progress in our advance into Abyssinia along the Gondar road, in spite of numerous minefields set by the enemy to cover their retreat.

In Italian • Somaliland our penetration on all sectors across the enemy front is daily becoming deeper. So far the enemy has sustained casualties disproportionate to our own, which have been negligible.

, In Libya our advance towards Benghazi is progressing satisfactorily. On Tuesday night Royal Air Force bombers attacked aerodromes near Benghazi.