TERRIFIC BARRAGE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 97, 24 March 1941, Page 7

TERRIFIC BARRAGE.

CLOSING IN ON KEREN

LONDON, March 23. After a week of bitter fighting the battle for Keren is still raging fiercely. The latest, reports show that the Imperial and Allied forces are closing in on the town in a horseshoe formation. The heavy guns of the attacking armies are keeping up a terrific barrage, but the advancing troops are still meeting stern opposition and are compelled to contest every inch of ground. Keren, which is of vital importance to the Italians, is being defended with such tenacity that one correspondent has suggested that the Italians n* be withdrawing their troops iroiii Abyssinia to make a final stand on this high plateau, which, by nature, is admirably situated for defence. Latest reports say that the Italians have made a number of counterattacks in an effort to break the relentless British offensive, but all have been .repulsed. British losses have been fairly heavy, but the proportion of killed to wounded is relatively small. The fiercest fighting centres round the ridge dominating the main road. This has changed hands several times after severe fighting at close quarters. Latest reports say that it is now in Italian hands.

A Royal Air Foice Middle East communique says: "in the Sudan one enemy bomber was destroyed at Tokar. In Eritrea the enemy positions in and around Keren were again heavily bombarded. In addition, the railway was bombed and damaged. Farther soutli our aircraft made attacks on Assab, whpre supply depots were the principal objectives. In Abyssinia the railway between Addis Ababa and Diredawa was attacked with considerable success. Many bombs were dropped on the station at Diredawa, and three trains travelling between Awash and Diredawa were effectively machine-gunned. Motor transport on the road was also attacked. In the Biyo Kaboba area a fuel dump was machine-gunned and set on fire. "At the same time aircraft of the South African Air Force dive-bombed and machine-gunned military objectives at Harrar. Direct hits were registered on the barracks and wireless station. An enemy fighter attempted to intercept our bombers but was badly damaged and beaten off. Two trains in the station at Urso were bombarded, direct hits being registered. At Gondar several fires were started among stores and buildings when a military camp was raided. On the night of March 20-21 motor transport on the road between Misurata and Sirte was bombed and machine-gunned. From all these operations our aircraft returned safely." FALL OF JIARABTJB. The fall of Jiarabub, in the heart of the Libyan Desert, after a siege of 15 weeks, deprives the Italian Hign Command of an opportunity which they have exploited to the full of bringing much-needed encouragement to the Italian morale by fanciiul accounts of the prodigious valour of the resistance of the garrison at Jiarabub to attacks which never took place. The communique issued in Cairo last night explained that while more important operations were continuing it was decided not to attack Jiarabub, but to leave it under observation by a light reconnaissance force. Not until the day before yesterday was any attempt made, and its result was the almost immediate capture of the Italian commander and 8000 Italian troops. Yet as early as December 30 an Italian communique was talking of the repulse of a British attack on Jiarabub. The place has since been mentioned 22 times in Italian communiques. It would appear that the mere sight of British reconnaissance units in the neighbourhood constituted for the Italian commander a sanguinary encounter and their disappearance a resounding victory. An Italian communique states: "A superior enemy overcame our smali garrison at Jiarabub under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Castania, who was wounded during the fighting after a heroic resistance."