LIBYAN CAMPAIGN

Grey River Argus, 6 February 1941, Page 5

LIBYAN CAMPAIGN

Advance on El Gubba ITALIANS IN RETREAT. TOWARDS BENGHAZI. LAus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] RUGBY, February 4. A Cairo headquarters communique received on Tuesday evening, states: “In Libya our advance westward continues.” A correspondent with the British forces in Libya says: “The battie of the desert has become a battle of mountains. Advancing British are astride Signor Mussolini’s much-ad-vertised motor road. British forces wasted no time in pushing forward after investing Derna. The Royal Air Force is giving strong support to the ground army, and has been hitting the Italians hard. Bombers and fighter s have been harassing retreating Italians, particularly on the road between Derna and Benghazi.” A R.A.F. Middle East communique says: In Libya, our bombers raided Berka aerodrome at Benghazi last night, dropped bombs on aircraft dispersed on the ground, and started large fires in several buildings. At Barce, lhe railway station was heavily attacked, and motor transport destroyed on the roads. Our fighter aircraft throughout yesterday harassed the enemy by machine-gun attacks. Between Slonta and Tecnis, ten miles east of Barce, six separate attacks were mad ( . on troops withdrawing along th e road. There were several casualties. Between twenty and thirty motor vehicles were also destroyed. BRITISH ADVANCING. (Received February 5, 8.30 p.m.). LONDON, February 4. General Wavell’s forward troops are now pushing on beyond Cyrene, which was Marshal Graziani’s headquarters for the conquest of Egypt. British infantry and machine-gun-ners, it is assumed, will take El Gubba, which i s thirty miles west from Derna, and is the last fortified town on the costal route to Benghazi. El Gubba straddles a fifty miles main road from Derna to Cyrene. The latter place is 1,800 feet above sea level, and twelve miles south-south-west of Apollonia, which is, presumably, cut off. Italian forces are, apparently, withdrawing en masse along a parallel road from Cyrene to Barce. After fighting their way from Derna, under Italian artillery fire, British forces climbed hillsides inland to the enemy’s level, and resumed a forward drive. Troops marched on foot, with artillery stores in the rear, hardly a shot being fired on the way to El Gubba. The Italians preferred to rely on land mines, booby traps, the dynamiting of the roads, and the blowing up of bridges.

Australian Troops GOING GREAT GUNS (Received Feb. 6, 12.52 a.m.) LONDON, February 5. Reporting for a El Gubba United Press correspondent, Mr Richard MeMilland, says that the pursuit of re-j treating Italians in Djebel Mountains is progressing with clockwork pre-1 cision. Forts like Greek temples, are attempting to hold up Australian . infantry, but the troops storm rocky crags with incredible agility, and dislodge Italians, who are streaming back on foot. British troops keep biting into the Italian rearguard, with daring peak-climbing exploits mid patrols cutting off the enemy. An example to-day saw Australians with fixed bayonets and Bren guns perform an alpine-like hike and surround 400 Italians in an isolated fort. The Italians were sitting down to eat spaghetti, believing the enemy was miles away when war-whooping Australians swooped down. White flags were raised instantaneously. AUSTRALIAN CASUALTIES. MELBOURNE, February rtThe latest list of A.I.F. battle casualties, released by Army Headquarters, brings the total to 623, of whom 135 were killed, five missing and 483 wounded. The list includes a number of casualties at Tobruk, and at least one from the action at Derna. Army Headquarters stated that the Eardia casualties of about 500 would be increased by casualties in isolated engagements, mopping up, and subsequent actions in which the A.I.F. were engaged ITALIAN REPORT. LONDON, February 4. The enemy carried out raid-raids in several localities of Eritrea. At Mogadishu, there was some damage and casualties. MR MENZIES IN EGYPT. GAZA, February 4. Mr Menzies addressing many thousands of men of the A.1.F., said: “We at home will work to our utmost limit in equipping and sustaining you. Australia will be behind you, through good or bad. In munitions alone, Australia last year produced 10 times the quantity she did in the previous year. This year, we will increase it 30 times. There can be no limit to our effort.” Mr Menzies toured the whole ot the Australian area, and addressed two big parades. He warned the men against paying much attention to stories of industrial trouble at home, saying: “The folly of a few is not the folly of a nation.” IN ABYSSINIA. BRITISH ADVANCES. LONDON, February 4. A Cairo headquarl err communique states: “In Abyssinia, the capture of frontier posts on the JDukana front, referred to in yesterday’s communique, resulted in the infliction of nearly a hundred casualties killed and captured at flight cost to ourselves. One additional post in this neighbourhood has keen captured. Intensive patrol activity was continued in Italian Somaliland.” In Abyssinia, the Italians were on the run'on Monday, with armoured units from the Sudan thrusting deeper into the country. The Italians are falling back towards Gondar, and are being harassed liy bands of Abyssinian patriots, who are especially numerous in this area. In their retreat the Italians have destroyed

quantities of war material. The retreating Italians are, travelling through country which offers rnuen the same opportunities for defensive action as is the case in Eritrea, but it remains to be seen whether the Italians will take advantage of the conditions.

British forces are now 40 to 50 mile s across the Sudanese border into Abyssinia. Although no major defeat has been inflicted on the Italians, the British forces ar e now in direct communication with the Abyssinian patriot army and can reinforce it. All the Italians can do is to retire into the interior. The success of the British lorces has been du e t.o the strategy adopted by the British High Command. The initial operations Were centred on Gallabat and constant nibbling at this town opened the way for the British drive.

Patriot activity in the south-west of Abyssinia is increasingly successful. Ambushes of convoys and clashes with the Italian detachment involved considerable Italian losses. Patriots report that the Italians and native irregulars are terrorising and murdering peasants, looting villages, and seizing livestock. Mor e Abyssinians are coming into Kenya for arm s training. It is now revealed that the Ethiopian flag was first hoisted in Abyssinia, when 500 uniformed Eth’opian refugees, accompanied by forces of the King’s African Rifles, captured, on July 13, Namaraputh, a small Italian outpost on Lake Rudolf. The refugee regiment went on, intending to contact with friends and then disperse, but the regiment returned weak and disappointed, a month later, because it' entered uninhabited country and was- unable to contact with friends and obtain food. It was also bombed. It is now officered by British and re-equipped. Several successful actions have been foueht by the regiments, the most important of which was the capture of the frontier post of Dukajia, and c.earing Banda from north-west Kenya. During the last two days'. the South African Air Force accounted for six enemy aircraft in Abyssinia without los s to themselves. On February 2 fighter aircraft destroyed a Caproni bomber on the ground at Afmadu, 60 miles north-west of Kismayu. The Italians replied with machine-gun fire On Monday a South African bomber attacked Gobwen aerodrome, six miles north-east of Kismayu. Messages from Nairobi tell of successes in South Abyssinia. where South. African forces hav e occupied El Buno, 10 miles inside the Abyssinian border. Two Italian officers and 43 native levie s were killed and three officers and 50 native levies were taken prisoner. The British casualties were slight. The attacking force also captured quantities of ammunition and material. After investing El Buno, the South Africans then captured another post seven miles ( further north and another to the west. The attitude of the British Government to the future of Abyssinia, was the subject of an important statement in the Commons. When replying to a question, Mr Eden said: “The Government will welcome the appearance of an independent Ethiopian State and recognise the claim of Selassie to the throne. The Emperor intimated to Britain that up will need outside assistance and guidance. The GoveFnmenU agrees with his view to consider any such assistance and guidance in economic and political matters, to be the subject of an international arrangement at the conclusion of peace. They reaffirm they have themselves no'territorial ambitions, in Abyssinia. Meanwhile, the conduct of military operations by Imperial forces in parts of Abyssinia, will require temporary measures ol military guidance and control. These will be carried out in consu’tation with the Emperor, and will be brought to abend as soon as the situation permits.

Italian Prisoners

20,000 FOR SOUTH AFRICA

(Received February 5, 5.5 p.ni.). RUGBY, February 4. The Union of South Africa has agreed to take twenty thousand Italian prisoners, who were taken by lhe British Army in the Libyan campaign. Captain Margesson, announcing this in the House of Commons, said h ( . hoped that arrangements for this would very shortly be completed. Replying to a further quest on as to whether the large number o Italian prisoners should not be put to work on the land, Captain Ma - gesson said .that this mallei' was being pursued. ADRIATIC ISLAND. REPORTED BRITISH OCCUPATION LONDON, February 4. It is unconlirmedly’ reported from Jugoslavia that the British have occupied Lagosta Island, dominating the Central Adriatic, where AngloGreek submarines are preying on Italian supply-ships. Many Italian freighters are reported to be seeking refuge in Jugoslav ports, the commanders refusing to come out unless a naval escort is provided. Lagosta Island contains three harbours and an aerodrome. ITALIAN TRANSPORTS SUNK. LONDON, February 4. It is reported from Split, in Dalmatia, that two Italian transports, the “Vittorio Veneto” and the “Valerian! Cole,” were sunk on February 2, by an unidentified submarine, near Vis. The bodies of 60 Italian soldiers, and sailors, including three from the Italian auxiliary warship “Armato,” have been washed ashore. The Bremen Radio stated that a lifeboat from an Italian merchantman, containing bodies of two sailors, was washed ashore in Jugoslavia.