ITALIANS LEAVE CAPUZZO

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 August 1940, Page 8

ITALIANS LEAVE CAPUZZO

FLEET’S BOMBARDMENT 11 ENEMY ’PLANES CRASHED £sy CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] CAIRO, August 17. It is announced that the Italians have again withdrawn from Fort Capuzzo, on the Libyan border. A British Admiralty communique says: “The Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean reports that a British naval force under his command, consisting of battleships and cruisers, this morning bombarded Bardia and Fort Capuzzo, in Libya, and other military objectives in the vicinity. Aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm were used for spotting during the bombardment, and reported that many salvoes hit the targets.

“After these bombardments the Fleet was subjected to heavy bombing attacks by Italian aircraft. These caused no damage or casualties in the Fleet. At least two enemy bombers were seen by the ships to fall into the sea, shot down by a Royal Air Force fighter escort, but information has now been received that at least 11 enemy aircraft were shot down.

GOOD SHOOTING

(Recd. August 19, 12.25 p.m.) LONDON, August 18.

During the bombardment in Libya, spotting planes of the Fleet Air Arm reported that every 15-inch shell landed on the target area. One directly hit -Fort Capuzzo, and another the native troops’ compound. The small Italian fort at Ramla, which marked the Italian-Egyptian border, is believed no longer to exist. The great guns swung on a fresh bearing, after several minutes’ intensive fire, and plastered the area where large concentrations of troops were reported to be massing for an invasion of Egypt. Four salvoes dii’ectly hit the target, and others damaged the barracks at Bardia. The bombardment lasted for 30 minutes, and the fleet steamed out to sea.

The expected attack from Italian bombers came ninety minutes later. Our fighters, swooping down from the sun, surprised the Italians, who jettisoned their bombs after losing 11 planes. The fleet continued its voyage, unmolested.

SOMALILAND FIGHTING

ITALIANS NEARER BERBERA

LONDON, August 18. Heavy fighting continues in Somaliland. The present position of the main body of the Italians is not disclosed, but some spearheads of the Italian columns are within 35 miles of the capital, Berbera. Somali troops are inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy and are still holding the reserve positions, in spite of artillery and aii’ attacks. A Royal Air Force communique states: “Our aeroplanes continued to harass enemy troop movements. In British Somaliland our bombers attacked Zeila and also a nearby island and Adadleh concentrating on military targets and troop concentrations. Re-, peated reconnaissances were made over the main roads. We again raided Tobruk harbour and hit a naval oil tank and jetties, causing fires. Italian bombers attempted a raid against Berbera, but were intercepted by a French-operated aeroplane which shot down one bomber and drove off; the others. This is the first time the French operating with the Royal Air| Force over Somaliland have- bagged! an enemy aeroplane, though they have I been highly successful hitherto in re- I connaissance work.” I A communique issued in Cairo' states: “Sudan.—On Friday, in thei Kurmuk area, Sudanese police routed • an enemy patrol 15 strong, killing seven. Our casualties were nil. Somali- 1 land.—Nothing to report. Other ( fronts.—Quiet.’’ ;

The War Office in London at present is unable to give any information regarding the Somaliland operations. I On the Kenya border, a British pa- ' trol surprised some Italians, killing ! four and taking five prisoners, besides I some equipment. Aircraft bombed I motor transport and a camel convoy I in southern Abyssinia. j The Italian advance towards Berbera is being harassed by the Royal I Air Force. Reports from Cairo speak [of increased air activity. Royal Air 1 Force raids were carried out on objectives in Libya, Eritrea, and Abyssinia. At Dombaas two Italian flying-boats were set on fire, three were sunk, and others badly damaged. One person was killed and four injured in an Italian air raid on the Alexandria area.' 1 Italian aeroplanes al[so attempted a raid on an objective in I Kenya, but they were intercepted before they reached their target and one of them was shot down. I ITALIAN CLAIMS. COMPLETE VICTORY IN SIGHT 8 ROME, August 18. The High Command announces that Britain’s defence system in Somaliland has fallen after an encirclement action on two wings. The official Italian communique states: “Yesterday’s fierce day of bloody battle for the conquest of British Somaliland marked the culminating point in the campaign. The enemy is retreating all along the front. We violently bombed the port and anchored warships at Alexandria for an hour. One aeroplane failed to return. Another is missing from a scouting flight over the Red Sea.”

The Rome radio stated: “The vast British colony of Somaliland will be added to the" Italian possessions in a few days. British control of the entrance to the Red Sea will become a thing of the past.”

I Another Italian communique says: i“ln British Somaliland the. battle i which began on August 11 against the I bulk of the enemy forces in the Jerajto Pass in the Adadleh zone is won. • After five days of fierce fighting, the i British defensive system, which was organised in points of resistance long 'since completed and protected by two lines of barbed-wire with many machine-gun nests, has fallen after an outflanking manoeuvre on two wings. Numerous arms of, all kinds, large quantities of material and supplies, and many prisoners were captured. Hundreds of dead belonging to Rhodesian and Indian units were found l abandoned. “Italian aviation, as always, participated in the battle by direct cooperation, bombing and machinegunning the enemy positions, and by longer flights in which heavy blows were struck on warships and transports anchored at Berbera. Meanwhile the British inefficiently bombed the aviation base at Assab and dwelling places at Jigjiga. The action which has taken us to Berbera continues inflexibly for the conquest of I the second fortified line, to which the [enemy troops are falling back with our troops on their heels.” “Giornale d’ltalia” says: “The conquest of British Somaliland will give Italy a chance of freeing a vast front, and to bring nearer the Italian threat to the vital British base at Aden. It will give Italy new economic resources in Somaliland, including six million head of cattle. It will enormously impress the population bordering the Red Sea, who are aware of Britain s decline. It will encourage Arab movements hostile to Britain.” BULHAR OCCUPIED. (Recd. Aug. 19, 10.45 a.m.). ROME, August 18. A communique states: An Italian column occupied Bulhar, and another is within range of La Faruk. A large detachment of Indian troops fled at Mandera, after a fight with Italian scouting units. One plane has not returned from £ raid on Berbera. Enemy warships fired 300 shells against Bardia and the hinterland. One soldier was killed and 11 were wounded. Our planes went out against he enemy ships and planes. We shot lown seven British, and probably mother two.