ERITREAN CAMPAIGN

Evening Star, Issue 23818, 24 February 1941, Page 7

ERITREAN CAMPAIGN

FREE FRENCH FORCES ARRIVE LONG JOURNEY FROM CHAD AREA WILL TAKE PART IN BATTLE AGAINST ITALIANS Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, February 23. The most stirring event in the campaign in. J'iritrca has been the arrival of a force of Free Frenchmen after a journey half across the Continent of Africa to take part in the buttle against the Italians. The British United Press correspondent states that the men disembarked on the Bed Sea coast to take part in the campaign. Commanded by a colonel who left Vichy last September, they came from near Lake Chad, a distance of 2,000 miles. At first they travelled by lorries across French Equatorial Africa and the Sudan Desert, bringing with them all their equipment. Not a single lorry was lost on the way.

“ I hope,” said the colonel, “ that the news of our arrival in Eritrea will bring many more Frenchmen to our cause. The majority of Frenchmen are pro-British, and many would join General de Gaulle, but it is difficult to leave Franco. IN THE MAJI REGION SHARP ENGAGEMENT LONDON, February I’d. (Deceived February 24, at 8 a.m.) A sharp engagement in the Maji region resulted in the Italians leaving 150 dead on the battlefield. While patrolling in the Sudan patriot troops encountered a greatly superior force and attacked them. Our casualties were slight. SOUTH AFRICANS NOW IN JUMBA OFFICERS AND MATERIAL CAPTURED LONDON, February 23. It is officially announced that South African forces have captured Jumba, in Italian Somaliland. A brigade staff and a colonel were taken prisoner, and guns and material were captured. CAIRO COMMUNIQUE NO IMPORTANT HEWS FROM LIBYA (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 23. (Received February 24, at 8 a.m.) A Cairo communique states that there is nothing important to report in Libya. In Eritrea and Abyssinia operations continue to develop to our advantage. With the capitulation of the garrison of Mega on February IS, South African troops captured over 600 prisoners, mostly Europeans, together with some guns and many machine guns. In Italian Somaliland operations cast of the Juba .River are jirogrcssing satisfactorily. BRITISH BOMBING ATTACKS OPERATIONS SOUTH Of BENGHAZI ENEMY MACHINES SHOT DOWN (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 23. (Received February 2J, at 11.30 a.m.) In the region south-west of Brava and south of Benghazi bombers of the South African Air Force made heavy bombing and machine-gun fire attacks from a low height on enemy troop concentrations. A camp at Mega, in the Moyale region was also bombed. As a result of an attack by South African fighters on the Massawa aerodrome fires were started among the forts and buildings. At Burse the R.A.F. bombed and machine-gunned troop positions east of the town. It is now learned that, as a result of an encounter near Brava on February 19 between fighters of the Australian squadrons and a number of JU 78’s and Mil 110's, one JU and one ME were destroyed. From all the operations one of the British fighters is missing. SATISFACTORY PROGRESS BRITISH COLUMN ON RED SEA COAST (British Official Wireless.) RU G BY, February 23. (Received February 24, at II a.m.) A Cairo communique stales: “ In Libya there is no change in flic situation. “In Eritrea onr column, moving down the Red Sea littoral from the north, reinforced by the Free French lorces from Equitorial Africa, is again making satisfactory headway, while the British forces about Keren continue the preparations for a reduction of the Italian positions covering the town. “ A joint force of British and patriot troops in Abyssinia occupied Shogahi, on the Blue Nile. An enemy eounter-