WAR IN AFRICA

Grey River Argus, 5 August 1940, Page 6

WAR IN AFRICA

ITALIAN FORCE . < On Libyan Frontier [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] LONDON, August 2. It is authoritatively stated that a considerable force of Italians is concentrated on the Libyan frontier, to which enemy forces have been gradually advancing. Italian bombers unsuccessfully raided .Port Sudan. A Caproni bomber was shot down. LIBYAN FIGHTING. ITALIAN FORCES (Received August 4, 7 p.mj CAIRO, August 3. The British military headquarters here announce that the enemy killed in Libyian. border fighting now total many hundreds while 818 prisoner,have been taken. British Success ON ABYSSINIAN BORDER. (Received August 4, 11-39 p.m.) NAIROBI, August 4. An official' report states: Our troops captured a small post on the Abyu-

sinian border at the north-east end of Lake Rudolf, and repulsed a coun-ter-attack The enemy’s knoyy casualties were 37 killed. Our losses were slight. R.A.F. BOMBERS ATTACK ENEMY POSITIONS CAIRO, August 2. A communique states: A small formation of bombers attacked the oil refinery near Massawa, and scored direct hits, starting a fire visible for 50 miles. Enemy fighters did not engage the bombers. Another formation demolished a hangar at Asmara and severely damaged another. There were also several direct hits on store buildings. All our aircraft returned. Direct hits were scored on aerodrome buildings at Guar, causing several fires. One of our planes made a forced landing in enemy territory. The South African Air Force successfully bombed troop concentrations south from Moyale. The R.A.F. successfully bombed a large ammunition dump near Bardia. The nose and shock from the explosion was felt at 9000 feet. Flames rose 500 feet, and smoke to 9000 feet. Columns of smoke were visible for 40 miles. There were no British casualties.

During two raids on Chinele, the result of which is not yet known our bombers were engaged by enemy fighters, one of which is believed to

have been destroyed. On the return journey, our bombers sighted three enemy bombers attacking Zeilah, in British Somaliland. Our aircraft immediately attacked. One enemy machine was shot down in flames, and another was last seen with black smoke coming from one engine There have been no further developments in the Dobel area. There is nothing to report from the other fronts. ENEMY FORCES BOMBED (Received August 4, 6.30 p.m.) CAIRO, August 3. An R.A.F. communique states: In various districts of Northern Kenya, enemy troop movements were harassed by our patrolling aircraft. A formation of enemy bombers attacked Khasm El Girba without success. A C.A. 13 was sighted over Gedaree, and was shot down by our fighters, the. crew of the Italian machine be-1 ing captured. At Chitele, our bombers were attacked by a number of Italian C.R. 42’s, two of which when last seen, were diving down out of control. All our aircraft returned safely. MORE R.A.F. RAIDS. ON ITALIAN DROMES. [British Official Wireless] RUGBY, August 3. Further air action, both offensive and defensive, is described in R.A.rcommuniques issued at Cairo. One communique states: “R.A.F. bombers raided bulk fuel installations at Zula in Eritrea. There were heavy bursts on or near the target, and one direct, hit resulted An a big coloumn of black smoke. Stores and buildings were also damaged. An oil depot at Accio and Asmara aerodrome were again raided, and despite heavy anti- j aircraft fire, attacks were pressed home. One bomber dived to within a hundred feet to attack enemy aircraft on the ground. At Accio, several explosions occurred as a result of the raid, and the effects could be seen thirty miles away. Ail our aircraft returned safely. Aircraft of the South Afiican Au Force raided Yavello aerodrome, causing considerable damage to twelarge hangars and to camp buildings, while three enemy aircraft on rmground were attacked. Our aircraft attacked an ammunition dump in Assab district, and there were several heavy explosions, while a searchlight was put out of action. ITALIAN BOMBERS Several Raids THE OFFICIAL REPORT (Received August 4, 7.30 p.m.) ROME, August 3. The fifty-fifth Italian’ communique states: “It is confirmed that the fire’ which was caused at Haifa, in Palestine, during our recent bombardment was burning after three days. “Our Sudan aeroplanes bombed the station and buildings of Port Sudan, setting fire to the supply depot. “We bombed the airfield of Debeit, causing great damage. About ten , enemy aeroplanes were hit on the ground. “In Kenya, near Buna, enemy troop i

concentrations and automobile units were bombed and machine-gunned. ' In North Africa, enemy aeroplanes raided Bardia, without doing any material damage, but we had some losses of troops.

“An enemy air raid was made on Gagliari. One is dead, and there were three wounded. There was slight material damage. “Two enemy aeroplanes were brought down. The crew of one were captured.” ITALIAN “PRIZE” SHIP PORT SAID, August 2. British naval circles revealed that a false declaration from the captain of the Italian steamer Verbania, was responsible for the vessel’s seizure and the confiscation of the cargo ofi war supplies valued at £250,000. j The Verbania is the Navy’s biggest) prize at Port Said since the Italian] declaration of war. A British officer said the cargo included 850 tons of explosives, and many motor-cars and lorries consigned to Massawa. The ship was intercepted in the Suez Canal, shortly before Italy declared war. The master declared he had only 60 tons of explosives aboard. The crew were interned when Italy entered the war. The Verbania was fitted with scuttling charges. British Submarine ITALIANS CLAIM SINKING ROME, August 2. A communique states: The Italian destroyer Vivaldi sank the British submarine Oswald, 1500 tons, in the lonian Sea. r rhe Air Force bombed an enemy naval squadron south of the Balearics, setting fire to one battleship, and hitting other units. In East Africa, Italian planes bombed. Butana in the Sudan. We occupied Debel, 45 kilometres south of Moyale, Kenya. Enemy aviation bombed Diredawa,

without damage. They also raided Asmara, Massawa and Giavello. One Italian and one native were killed, and some were wounded. Two enemy planes were shot down. Portuguese Troops LEAVE FOR WEST AFRICA (Received August 4, 7.30 p.m.) LISBON August 3. An infantry battalion has sailed to reinforce the garrison in Portuguese West Africa. Albanian Tribesmen ATTACK ITALIANS i (Received August 4, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 4. Italy is reported to be having difficulty with Albanian tribesmen. An Italian battalion suffered a hundred [ casualties and lost material, as a re-1 suit of an ambush in Central Albania. Italians burned three Albanian vil-; lages as a reprisal. In another incident, a colonel was killed. .