CRUSHING BLOW

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20490, 26 February 1941, Page 11

CRUSHING BLOW

WANING ITALIANS AFRICAN LOSSES FALL OF KUBKUB WALL OF SOMALILAND WAY OPEN FOR DRIVE JUBA ZONE TO BARDERA (Elee. Tel. Copyright—United Pres 3 Assn.) (Reed. Feb. 25, 2.50 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 24. To-day was a most important day in the smashing of Italy’s East African empire. The capture of Kubkub opens the backdoor to Keren while the capture of Gelib Margherita smashes Italy’s west wall in Somaliland, opening the way for an advance along the coast to, Brava, which advanced British forces are already marching, and also for the drive through the Juba area to Bardera. Brava is an important port and road centre and is the main town before Mogadiscio. Bardera unites the roads dominating the main inland communications. The South African captors of Margherita experienced 10 days of gruelling fighting. They occupied the Kismayu aerodrome, six miles from Gobuin, and then advanced eastward. Two hundred Italian colonial troops armed with machine-guns ambushed the South Africans, who replied with mortars and cleared out ambushers. They then pushed on through almost impenetrable bush. The South Africans occupied Gobuin and then began four days of battle for Jumbo.