Guerillas Harass Italians

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 274, 20 November 1935, Page 5

Guerillas Harass Italians

LITTLE MOVEMENT IN . SOUTHERN SECTION United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. Received Tuesday, 10.30 p.m. ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 19. The camp equipment for the Emperor has been sent to Dessye pending his departure thither. ADIGRAT, Nov. 19. ' Marshal De Bono hade farewell ’ to his comrades at headquarters before returning to Italy via Asmara and Harar. There is little movement in the southern sector except the slow Italian approach to Dagabur, which is expected to strongly resist a frontal attack. * The Gorahai area is still invested with Abyssinian guerilla bands threatening the Italian advance.

Italians Harassed by a Flanking’ Movement Deceived Tuesday, 9 p/m. LONDON, Nov. 19. Marshal Badoglio, accompanied by his son Mario as secretary, has left Naples for' Abyssinia, where it is expected they will arrive on November 27. Several sources at Addis Ababa report that tribesmen in the conquered area of Endcrta, north of Makale, resenting the conquerors commandeering supplies, revolted against the Italians, who bombed them from aeroplanes. Das Seyourn, with 80,000 warriors, is apparently contemplating a fresh offensive in tho eastern Tembien region. There is some ground for believing that tho Abyssinians have outflanked the right wing of Italy’s north cm positions and penetrated the Eritrean outposts. Das Seyourn’s troops have been harassing the lino of communications for some weeks in this area, with fluctuating success. Somali’s Description Of Tribesmen’s Panic demoealised by modeen WEAPONS LONDON, Nov. IS. A vivid description of the panic of undisciplined Galla tribesmen who were confronted by a small Italian force during the battle for Sasa Bauch was given to tho Daily Mail by a Somali lorry driver. “The Dallas took up a position near the junction of the Eafan and Jerer rivers,” he said. ‘‘ltalian machinegun lire broke from tho scrub, and I saw Abyssinians streaming back towards tho baggage lines, where they commandeered 2o lorries and drove away. Only about 80 stood their ground, although the whole Italian force was probably only 700 men. The Abyssinians brought forward a gun mounted on a lorry and blew off the top of a tank which was trying to climb the river bank, apparently killing tho Italians inside. Two other tanks stuck in tho soft sand and their crews were killed in trying to leave them. I saw Italian tanks coming, shooting at our lorries. Then the Italian native troops broko front cover, tiring while nobody was giving orders. I saw I would bo killed, so I ran and boarded a lorry with others. Between Mustabel and Jijiga our lorry and five others were spotted by Italian aeroplanes, which bombed us. Wo ran the lorries into tho bush and escaped. I had hud enough fighting for the Abyssinians.”

Italiun militarists attribute the Abyssiuiaus' puzzling lack of resistunco to demoralisation by the tanks and aeroplanes, bearing out the Italian theory that the Abyssinians have been much overrated and that they are inclined to go to pieces when isolated.