ABYSSINIAN WAR

Evening Star, Issue 22229, 6 January 1936, Page 7

ABYSSINIAN WAR

HALT IN ITALIAN ADVANCE EFFECTIVE ETHIOPIAN TACTICS Press Association—By Telegraph— Copyright LONDON, January 3. ‘ The Times,’ in a leader, says: long before Signor Mussolini announced on December 31 that there were indispensable pauses, it was clear' that the invasion of Abyssinia had been halted, and effective resumption thereof may not even be in prospect. The initiative has passed to the Abyssinians, who have effectively exploited it. Something ominously significant to the Italians may be occurring, as was indicated by the outflanking of their advanced posts at Maitimchet, compelling them to withdraw to nearer their base. Apparently the Abyssinians have captured Addiabbi, but the Italians have halted the enemy’s further advance. The Abyssinian tactics in imposing the longest possible passive defence on the enemy recall Lawrence of Arabia’s methods, for which Nature provides the requisite space in Abyssinia. The more the Abyssinians distribute their efforts without over-committing themselves at any one point, ,the more they can effectively utilise mobility and surprise, spreading debilitating inflammation throughout the Italian system. Aircraft have enabled the invaders to check many ominous Abyssinian leads and avoid the collapse which is ever awaiting those whose forces are strung out and whose nerves are strung up.” ITALIAN ARMY REINFORCEMENTS LONDON, January 3. The * Daily fail’s ’ Home correspondent says: “ General Graziani’s army is being increased to 75,000 men. A full division is leaving Libya for Somaliland. Two thousand Blackshirts have left Naples to complete a division at Mogadiscio. ■ WOMAN DOCTOR AT FRONT ‘ ADDIS ABABA, January 3. Dr Harriet Skemp, of tho Sudan Interior Mission, an American, will, be ,the first woman doctor at the front. She will serve with the Abyssinian Bed Cross, with the permission of Emperor Sellassie. ANOTHER RED CROSS UNIT BOMBED HARRAU, January 4. Italian aeroplanes are reported to have bombed an Egyptian Red Cross unit at Dagabur, more than a mile from troop encampments. It is not known whether there were any casualties, INTENSIVE AERIAL BOMBING ADDIS ABABA, Jenuary 5. Two English missionaries, Drs David Stokes and H. Dawkins, arc attached to the Egyptian Red Cross unit at Harrar, which the Italians bombed. Six Italian aeroplanes heavily bombed Ambabircuta, in the Wolkait district, without casualty. An official communique says 10,000 bombs, including gas bombs, were dropped in the Makale sector last week. The casualties were small. LOSS OF PLANE ADMITTED ASMARA, January 5. The Italians admit tho loss of a plane with a crew of two in the Kafta region, but declare that this and other raids were successful and timely, as they dispersed several large concentrations of Abyssinians reparing to attack on the extreme right flank of the Italians. I " DELIBERATE MURDER ” BOMBING OF SWEDISH RED CROSS: ADDIS ABABA,. January 4. An aeroplrfne brought from Dole Dr Hylander and his assistant, Dr -Lundstrom, and many of those who were wounded in the air raid on the Swedish Red Cross ambulance. Dr Lundstrom was severely wounded, and- died en route to the hospital. Dr Hylander gave a graphic account of the bombing. “It was an utterly deliberate act,” he said. “ The Italians for several days previously machine-gunned all round the ambulance. I was in the operating tent on the morning of the bombing, and suddenly a perfect tornado of bombs and bullets rained down. I had just time to sec two lines of three planes each enfilading the ambulance when J was wounded and lost consciousness. When I awoke it was to see the most terrible scene of carnage imaginable. Scbres of dead, dying, and wounded were around me. I heard shrieks and groans amid the crackle of blazing tents. There must have been more than 200 bombs and thousands of rounds fired from machine guns. Dr Lundstrom, though severely wounded, kept crying: ‘ I must attend the wounded.’ Ras Desta’s men rushed up immediately and began to transport the wounded

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to cover. There was absolutely no excuse for the raid, as Red Cross emblems were prominently displayed. The Italian allegation that Abyssinian chiefs and soldiers were taking refuge in the ambulance is completely baseless. My assistants say that the Italians flew very low, knowing that they would be immune from fire from us. There was no place for the staff and patients to shelter. Wo had no guns and could only wave white flags. It was wholesale murder. Beds containing wounded were blown 30ft in the air. Two patients on the operating table were killed instantaneously. Many of the pounded were half-buried by earth and stones. Dr Lundstrom had part of his face blown away. After the bombing, in which two ambulances were blown up, the aeroplanes circled and returned with a machine-gun unit.” The transport of tho wounded from Dolo was a wonderful feat on the part of the Swedish Baron Von Rossen, who piloted a Fokker ambulance plane over unknown and difficult country. HARSHER PHASE APPROACHING LONDON, January 4. The ‘ Sun-Herald ’ Service says it has been unofficially reported from Rome that Ras Gugsa was arrested and imprisoned in the Tigre, allegedly for organising a revolt behind the Italian lines, and that a number 'of ’ Abyssinians, presumably chieftains, were executed on a charge of assisting Ras Gugsa. The authorities at Rome subsequently stated that nothing was known of tho matter. A revolt against continuance of the war occurred at Romagna, but it is reported to have been suppressed. A message from Dessye says more Askari officers and soldiers have deserted to tho Abyssinians. Eleven Greek officers are going to Abyssinia to man tanks captured from the Italians. The ‘ Sun-Herald ’ Service adds: “ Rome is obviously not concerned about the lack of progress, and it seems a harsher phase is rapidly approaching.” LEAGUE INQUIRY SUGGESTED GENEVA, January 4. Citing alleged Italian atrocities, the Abyssinian Government has requested an impartial inquiry into the conduct of the war, and suggests that the Committee of Thirteen is a competent authority to carry out the investiga-' tion, which should be prompt, in order “to prevent atrocities which would' have incalculable consequences for the whole African Continent and prove an insurmountable obstacle to the restoration of peace in East Africa,” OIL EMBARGO CONSIDERED LESS PROBABLE. PARIS, January 4. The Government newspapers express the opinion that an oil embargo is increasingly less probable, although the sanctionist Press believes the opposite. Nevertheless, the newspapers admit misgivings regarding the result of impartial neutrality in the of a European war, MR MACDONALD'S DENIAL LONDON, January 3. Mr Ramsay MacDonald, denying, that the article in the ‘ Newsletter ’ was intended to attack tho Government, declared: “It is sheer mischiefmaking to say it was an attack on anybody.” [A previous message stated; The ‘ Manchestt • Guardian’s ’ political correspondent says the first indication of the attitude of tho National Labour members of Cabinet to the Hoare-Laval crisis appears in an article in the National Labour paper ‘Newsletter,’ which, if not actually written by Mr Ramsay MacDonald, carries his approval and contains some of the sharpest criticisms of Mr Baldwin and Sir Samuel Hoare voiced in or out of Parliament.] ■£' BRITISH TROOPS FOR ALEXANDRIA PASSENGER LINER REQUISITIONED. LONDON, January 5. (Received January 6, at 11 a.m.) The Atlantic steamer Scythia has been converted into a transport to carry troops, tanks, and armaments to Alexandria, and will sail from Southampton on Wednesday under War Office orders, says the ‘ Sunday Dispatch.’ This is the first requisition of a passenger liner since the Great War. It is believed that other ships will be requisitioned shortly.