WAR IN AFRICA

Hokitika Guardian, 10 December 1940, Page 5

WAR IN AFRICA

A CAPTURE OF 500 ITALIAN PRISONERS. (United Press Association— By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received this day at 10.10 a.in.) LONDON, Doe. 9. A Cairo communique to-day states: In the Western Desert, advanced elements of our forces are now in contact with the enemy on a broad front, In an engagement south of Sidi Barlani, we captured five hundred prisoners. Last night our patrols continued extensive activities in the Gallabet area, Sudan, while our artillery again successfully engaged enemy targets. There is nothing to report on other fronts: BRITISH SUCCESS. 5,000 ITALIAN PRISONERS. (Received this day at 11.10 a.in.) RUGBY, Dec. 9. A special Cairo communique states operations in the Western Desert are extending satisfactorily. Five hundred prisoners, have already been captured in one area alone, while more are being rounded up. A General Officer Commanding one of the Italian forces engaged was killed and the second in command captured. The latest reports state that tlie British have taken over ai total of four thousand Italian prisoners. BOMBING OPERATIONS. MUCH DAMAGE REPORTED. (Received this day at 12 noon). RUGBY, December 9. A communique from the R.A.F. headquarters in the Middle East says:—“ln the western desert, bomber aircraft of the R.A.F. attacked Benina aerodrome on the night of December 8-9. One bangar was burnt out and three other fires started. Incendiary jajiid ffiigh explosive bombs also fell among aircraft north of the hangars. A large number are believed to have been damaged. One enemy aircraft was set on fire.

Aircraft of the Rhodesian squadron carried out a bombing attack on Adardeb, Italian East Afdica. A direct hit was registered on a machine-gun post and a. number of fires were started. Bombs also foil among stores dumps. A second machine-gun post was silenced by machine-gun fire from our aircraft.

During the raid on Asmara on December 7, a fire was caused and aerodrome hangars were hit.

I At Burria, Italian East Africa, a [ bomb burst among sheds.., starting a I largo petrol firo. Enemy fighters interI ceptod during the raid, and one of our aircraft was shot down. The crew were seen escaping by 'parachute. AIR ACTIVITY. LONDON, Dec. 8. It is officially announced than 11. A. F. bombers on Saturday night heavily bombed Castel Benito, near tiie town of Tripoli; set fire to many hangars and destroyed a. least eight grounded planes. Hits were scored on all of live hangars on the aerodrome, two of which were set on lire, causing tremendous explosions in petrol and bomb dumps. Administrative quarters were also bit, and large fires started. Other liangais were damaged by incendiaries and machine-gun fire. The attack was apparently a complete surprise. All the British planes returned. Mr J. L. Garvin, in the “Observer,” commenting on recent British successes in the Sudan and on the Kenya border, says that the whole of the Italian forces in East Africa could be crushed with the aid of rn Abyssinian revolt. This would he more than a local success, and would help materially to end the war. Such black news would convince the Italian people that the game was up.