STEADY PROGRESS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 89, 14 March 1941, Page 5

STEADY PROGRESS

FORCES IN AFRICA. YAVELLO TAKEN. (United Press Association —Copyright) (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Mar. 13. A Cairo communique states that in Libya, ,Eritrea, and Abyssinia there is nothing of importance to report. In Italian Somaliland our advance continue in all sectors. Patriot forces have occupied Yavello, 70 miles north of Mega, which was taken some time ago by South African troops. They are now more than 500 miles into Abyssinia from the south, states another report. An R:A.F. communique states that in Eritrea, on March 11, South African fighter aircraft carried out a number of machine-gun attacks against ground targets. Enemy aircraft on the aerodrome at Asmara, the hangars at Decamere, and a number of petrol dumps in the area were among the objectives attacked. Goods trains on the KerenAsmara line were machine-gunned and damaged. Bomber aircraft also attacked military objectives at Assab. Malta was raided during the night of March 11-12 and some damage was caused. Although there were no R.A.F. casualties, a few civilians -were killed and wounded. From all operations our aircraft returned safely. It is announced that IS persons were killed and 19 seriously injured in the raid on Malta.

It is reported from La Linea (Spain) that for the second time in two dav6 a single plane to-day bombed Gibraltar and machine-gunned the anti-air-craft defences. The Admiralty states that the small Strait of Bab el Mandeb, at the southern entrance to the Red Sea, is dangerous to navigation and all vessels passing between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden should proceed by way of the large strait. Vessels disregarding the warning do so at their risk and peril. STEADY - RETREAT. ITALIAN FORCES HAMMERED. LONDON, March 12. At point after point in Abyssinia the Imperial and patriot forces are steadily beating back Mussolini’s troops. The latest reports from Central Abyssinia emphasise that the Italians who are fleeing from Burye to Debra Markos, on the road to Addis Ababa, did .iot attempt to defend the crossing of the Temche River or even destroy the bridge across it. This is good news for the British and patriots, because the river offered a natural defence where the Italians might have made a stand. The pursuers hope to reach the main body of the retreating Italians before it reaches the safety of Debra Markos. Many deserters are still coming in. What was once a force of nearly SOOO men can now be little more than 3000, of whom 400 are wounded or sick. The Italian- commander is at present .transporting these ineffectives in lorries, with -men piled high on stretchers, but deserters say that these are being abandoned if the patriots show signs of catching up. The Imperial forces threatening the Italian stronghold of Asosa, on the west-east road to Addis Ababa, are thrusting along dusty camel tracks, sometimes through man-high elephant grass.

RACE TO CAPITAL. The chief competitors with the patriots in the race to Addis Ababa are South Africans, whose mechanised column from Italian Somaliland is tearing across the Ogaden plateau toward Harar. They are at present advancing faster than the Abyssinians, who are confronted with difficult terrain, and also the fortifications at Debra Markos. The South Africans are meeting with no resistance at present, but they may have to fight at Jigjiga (50 miles east of Harar), where it is estimated that there are 10,000 troops, and also at Harar and Diredawa. The third team in the race, now operating against Asosa, has only an outsider’s chance, being still confronted with 375 miles of difficult country. Replying to a question as to the possibility of enemy resistance at Jigjiga, a military spokesman at Cairo said: "Our forces are making a backdoor entry. The Italians planned their defences facing Jibuti and did not expect an offensive from the south. As a result' of the British advance through Italian Somaliland, Mussolini’s army in that region is not even a thing of shreds and patches. After the straight-out loss of 31,000 troops the remnants of this army are retreating oil two divergent lines and many were disintegrated before reaching their destination. Fewer tlian 500, mostly whites, escaped northward. The importance of the material captured in Italian Somaliland is underlined by the fact that the question of supplies is one of the main problems of the long-distance advance across Somaliland. A number of British businessmen and officials in Khartoum are preparing to resume their old jobs in different parts of Abyssinia. EXEMPLARY GALLANTRY. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 12. A survey of the fine work of the King’s African Rifles, a famous fighting force recruited from all the British African territories, including Nyasaland, shows that the regiment has been represented on all the African fronts since the outbreak of war. Engagements include that at El Wak in June, the defence of Moyale in July, and patrol skirmishes at Dohec at the end of that month. Then came tile evacuation of British Somaliland in August, and the retreat in the following month from Buna, after which there °was much patrol work. The regiment was always conspicuous, bearing the brunt on all fronts from Turkanjo to the coast. When'the tide turned it led the offensive against Italian Somaliland, capturing Linoi and many posts on the desert road to Afmadu. It even fought on water and in dhows took ‘ Dieserpente Island, which controls Kismayu harbour.' Forming the north claw of a pincers movement, it cut the Gelib-Brava road covering 45 miles in two and a-liall days through a solid .wall, of brush It captured many prisoners at Buda. after which it rushed to the coast with Nigerians and effected the release ol British seamen at Merca and took a further 1000 prisoners. West of Lake Rudolf it lias lately captured Toden yang and British and Italian Namarpoth. Individual feats of heroism were numerous, and the courage and cheer fulness of these native African soldiers has been one' of the features of the campaign.