AMERICAN

Grey River Argus, 5 March 1941, Page 7

AMERICAN

330,000 BRITISH TROOPS Forcing Italian Sacrifices (Received March 4, 7.20 p.m.) (Keceneu r OME , March 3. The Rome radio stated: Fighting intense. It may ne m \ UiO n he u S , ng weapons, tanks A correspondent with the British forcesln Eritrea writes ‘hat forces, including Indians and Free French infantry, continued to ad \ al \ c ® towards Keren, capturing Mescelht Pass, which is 15 miles to the north of the town. . ... A Cairo communique stares. Libya Eritrea and Abyssinia, there is" no ’change. In Italian Somaliland continuing their advance. ou r troops yesterday occupied Villagglo, Ducaleegli and Abruzzi, 80 miles by rail from Mogadishu. . nrP The rest of the Imperial forces are still in a position four miles south-east of Keren, whose principal defences lie in its 7000 feet altitude and roads and paths which are hardly negosouth, the Italians have retreated from Barentu, to cover Asmara and Messawa, both of which are | strongly defended. The *'A' F - however is in complete control of the air' in this area, having destroyed all the Italian planes in the vicinity and wrecked the enemy aerodromes With the exception of the rapid advance in Italian Somaliland, result; ing in the occupation of Villaggio and Dabruzzi, an important agriculture centre, the British operations m Africa have slowed down to nibbling operations. . . After the ’ successful encircling movements leading up to the seige of Keren, a hide-and-seek artillery duel has been the chief feature of the British assault against the mountain fortress. The Italians are constantly changing the position of their guns, in darkness, cleverly concealing them in rocky crevices and shrubs. Nevertheless, the accuracy of the British artillery is remarkable. The "Daily Telegraph’s” Khartoum correspondent says: lhe chief obstacle between our northern column in Eritrea and Keren is the long gorge of the Ansebe River where the enemy has chosen to make a stand, rather than at the Mescellit Pass, thus enabling the defenders of Keren to shorten their forward communications which the R.A.F. continues to strafe pitilessly. An R.A.F. Middle East communique states: Enemy positions in and around Keren were attacked yesterday by our bombers, while fighters of the South African Air Force squadron continued to harass the enemy with machine-gun or gun positions, troop concentrations, and motor transport. At Burye, large fires and heavy explosions occurrec as n result of the bombing of military objectives. On the other fronts ir i Italian East Africa, air support was given to our troops. From all these operations our machines returnee safely, with the exception of one bomber, which so far has failed to re' turn to its base.

AIR MENACE TO KENYA REMOVED. (Received March 4, 7.15 p.m.) LONDON, March 3. Black-out restrictions have been withdrawn in all highlands districts in Kenya, including Nairobi, as a result of the success of the Somaliland campaign, and also the removal of the air threat., The restrictions are continuing in the coastal towns. German Patrol ENGAGED BY BRITISH IN LIBYA. (Received March 4, 10 p.m.) BERLIN. March 4. The Official News Agency reports an encounter between British forces and an advanced German reconnaissance patrol in the Libyan coastal area It adds: The Germans made some prisoners. They captured a British, armoured observation car