ITALIAN CAPTURES

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 July 1940, Page 7

ITALIAN CAPTURES

OPERATIONS IN SUDAN BRITISH ESTIMATE \ [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, July 15. Military circles in London consider that the expenditure by the Italians in recent weeks of considerable efforts to capture Kassala, Gallahad, and Kurmuk, on the Sudan border, which has been done' at the cost of heavy casualties, may be explained by the desire to have what they may regard as jumping-off t places for further operations in the 'Sudan, when the rains have ceased. These places, in the British view, are not of any strategic importance, and it was not considered • worth holding them beyond a certain time. Therefore, when the Italians attacked in greatly-superior numbers, theSudan defence force withdrew, after taking heavy toll of the enemy. In the first few weeks after Italy entered the war, the Sudan defence force launched raids across the frontier, and discovered that the Italian native troops had no stomach for fight. In these raids, the British forces were assisted by Abyssinians, who had come over.

Thd Italians have also tried dropping leaflets, but they have had no effect on the morale of the Sudanese troops.

MOYALE EVACUATED

RUGBY, July 15

An official communique issued at noon at Nairobi to-day says: Our garrison in British Moyale which has betm surrounded for the last five days, withdrew last night, according to plan, and without incident. An earlier communique had referred to a successful raid by British aircraft on Italian Moyale, from which all the machines returned safely.

AERIAL ATTACK. ’■ NAIROBI, July 15. It is officially stated: Our planes bombed Italian Moyale successfully, setting fire to buildings round the village, and making the enemy run from the ridge east of British Moyale. All our planes returned.

ITALIANS CAPTURE POST.

LONDON, July 151

A British communique issued in Cairo states: The enemy, in considerable strength, captured the small frontier post of Abdulghadir in Somaliland.

Casualties were again caused to Italian motor transport columns which were attempting to supply the fort at Capuzzo.

AERIAL ACTIVITY. (Recd. July 16, 9 a.m.)

CAIRO, July 15

The R.A.F. again bombed stores and barracks south of Assab yesterday, starting fires visible for thirty miles distant.

Bombers again attacked shipping at Tobruk. The damage was not ascertainable, but a column of black smoke was observed after the attack. All our planes returned. The enemy thrice unsuccessfully attempted to raid Malta. There was no damage and no casualties.

It is now confirmed that one enemy fighter was brought down aftei- an enemy attack on Abiwajir. All the members of the crew were killed.

ITALIAN CLAIMS.

ROME, July 15.

An official communique states: “An Italian submarine in the Western Mediterranean sank an enemy destroyer. The submarine also said that the enemy air raid on Tobruk had caused neither victims nor damage. . In East Africa, Italian aviation has successfully bombed Aden. On a reconnoitring • flight, near Buna, an enemy contingent were machine-gunned. Two exuemy ’planes were destroyed on the ground. The enemy made air raids on Assab, which were resultless. One enemy ’plane was shot down.” POLITICAL EXCITEMENT LONDON, July 16. “The Times” says: Private telephone calls from Italy to foreign countries are reported, to have been suspended since Saturday. Press calls are subjected to long delays. The political atmosphere in Rome is an intensely expectant one, such as usual - ly precedes momentous events. Similar delays have affected the communications from Berlin. PALESTINE RAID. • (Received July 15, 10.5 a.m.) JERUSALEM, July 15. Palestine was raided for the first time, to-day, when enemy planes bombed Haifa. Some damage was caused, and a few casualties.

MEDITERRANEAN OPERATIONS.

FULLER INFORMATION.

[BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.]

RUGBY, July 15

An Admiralty communique states: Fuller information is now available regarding the recent operations in the Mediterranean. Reports received during the morning of July 9 established that the enemy force consisted of two battleships, a large number of. cruisers, amongst which were eight-inch gun cruisers, and approximately 25 destroyers. In the early afternoon, contact was made by a squadron of British light cruisers with the enemy cruiser force, which retired immediately on coming within the extreme range of our supporting battleships. From this point, the action developed into a chase. A few salvoes were exchanged between the "battleships. One hit with a 15inch shell was observed on one of the Italian battleships, before the enemy force escaped through the smokescreen laid by their destroyers. The destroyers also retired at full speed through this smoke-screen, before our light forces could close the range sufficiently to damage them. Swordfish aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm forced home the attack, in the face of heavy anti-aircraft fire, and scored a hit on an enemy cruiser. The enemy were pursued until the British Fleet was in sight of land,

and, though our forces remained to offer battle until the evening, despite a succession of bombing attacks by large forces of Italian aircraft, the enemy did not offer to renew the action. When it became evident that the enemy had no further intention of joining battle, our forces continued their operations. The British convoys, to which they were acting as a covering force, have now arrived at their destination safely. During this latter phase, our ships were repeatedly attacked by -aircraft. Three casualties to the personnel were caused by bomb splinters from nearmisses. No other casualties were suffered during these attacks by aircraft, or during the British Fleet action, nor were any hits made by the enemy bombs or gunfire. Five enemy aircraft were shot down by fighters of the Fleet Air Arm. As announced on July 10, another force, including the Hood and the Ark Royal, had been carrying out a sweep of the Western Mediterranean. No enemy surface craft were met, but sustained bombing attacks were encountered. As already stated, no casualties to personnel or damage to this force were caused by enemy aircraft, of which four were destroyed and seven others damaged. WARNING TO SHIPPING. (Received July 16, 12.35 p.m.) LONDON, July 15. The Admiralty announced; Italy has declared that merchant vessels will operate at their own peril, within 30 miles of the Allied coasts, wherefore Britain is justified in taking action. Italy has similarly notified all vessels navigating within 30 miles of any Italian territory, that they do so at their own risk and peril. ___________