Retreat or Remain in Tents

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 10, 13 January 1936, Page 7

Retreat or Remain in Tents

Dilemma For Italians When Rainy Season Begins

Will Be Supermen if Can Stay

Under Canvas

United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright

Received Sunday, 7.0 p.m. LONDON, Jan. 11

A message by a Times correspondent recently in Asmara says there should be no overlooking the danger threatening the Italians in Abyssinia when the rainy season begins. The Italians are now almost wholly under canvas, in which they remain during the rains, owing to the unsuitability oil the Abyssinian dwellings, which are regarded as too primitive and likely to cause infections and spread disease. Thus tents are the only alternative to retirement to Eritrea, which is undesir-

Nevertheless, no European army has yet faced six months of torrential rains under canvas, especially the low bivouac typo which the Italian troops use. Foreigners compelled to camp for the long rainy season in. tho tropics emphasise the appalling experience, destroying health and demoralising nerves, damp and mould pervading everything and rendering existence miserable.

Saving Italy’s Face

Even the toughest Northern Europeans have found such circumstances unspeakably trying, and the mercurial Latins will probably suffer a harder trial. If they emerge fit to continue the war, they will be entitled- to 'be called supermen.

Received Sunday, 7 p.m. PARIS, Jan. 11

Italians Ambushed in Gorge EIGHT HUNDRED CASUALTIES SUSTAINED i Received Sunday, 8 p.m. DESSYE, Jan. 11. Four Italians captured at Enda Selassie on December 14 relate how the Italian forces numbering 1600 were ambushed in a gorge ami fled after losing 800 casualties and ten tanks. Correspondents describe the prisoners as mere lads of the 1911-12 class.

Coporal-Major Guerremi Remo, belonging to the Tenth Tank Squadron of the Duke of Abruzzi’s Regiment, said the infantry column was held up and wirelessed for the -assistance of tanks, ten of which, accompanied by two lorries, filled with troops, hastened to to reinforce them. The tanks advanced 20 miles and entered a ravine with precipitious sides, where rounding a projecting rock, they ran into an area strewn with boulders, a veritable tank trap. The leading tank broke down, and immediately a devastating fusillade began from the hillsides, killing the ofliccr and crew, who descended. The other tanks collided with the damaged vehicle. One caught fire and the remainder were unable to advanco or retreat. Under a merciless fire they were speedily put out of action. Remo's tank sideslipped down and the tank overturned. The troops on the lorries jumped down and tried to escape iu the bush on the hillsides, but were shot down.

Abnormal Rains Continue

Italians

Meamvhilo the Abyssinians wero firing through tho portholes in the tanks, also attacking the infantry at the rear, who, dropping under a withering lire, fled when the Abyssinians charged, leaving half their number dead or wounded.

Received Sunday, 7.0 p.m

ASMARA, Jan. 11

Ecmo and his companion, seeing that their tank was surrounded, opened the door and surrendered. They were agreeably surprised when they were treated kindly, because they had been warned not to surrender, as they would be mutilated by the Abyssinian;.

Two other prisoners were captured when a lorry was ambushed. They were the only survivors of a party of 10. Correspondents say the Italians, when captured, were wearing threadbare tunics and trousers and broken boots, indicating the condition of the Italian troops, which tho captives refused to discuss, saying they must someday return to Italy, but they admitted disappointment at the slowness of the Italian advance, which they had been told would be a walk-over.

MUSSOLINI’S MISTAKES,

LONDON, Jan. 10,

It is reported that one Italian after the ambush was found dead, but unwoumled, with his fiancee’s photograph in his hands. Apparently he died of fright.

Rome Says Abyssinians Not on

Outskirts of Makale

ITALIAN AERIAL BOMBARDMENT Received Sunday, 8 p.m. LONDON, aJn. 11. An unofficial story from Addis Ababa that the Abyssinians had reached the outskirts of Makale was promptly denied in Rome, where it was suggested that tho enemy was 15 miles distant. .

(1) Signor Mussolini wili withdraw his forces from Abyssinia, simultaneously issuing a flaming manifesto to the Italian people proclaiming that a hostile world thwarted Italy’s justifiable efforts, thus confronting Europe with a hostile and embittered Italy, whose plans of revenge would he a continuous source of danger. (2) Signor Mussolini will obstinately stay in Abyssinia, which will possibly result in ‘‘a palace revolution,” though the Quai d’Orsay does not believe that there Is a possibility of a collapse of the Fascist regime. (3) Signor Mussolini will accept a face-saving peace plan, which, M. Laval is informed, the Duce iu ready to do.

In rebuttal of stories of heavy Italian losses, it was officially announced iu Rome that between October 3 and December 31, 521 Eritrean and Somali natives were killed.

An Asmara message says the Haitians declare that 3ix hours’ aerial bombing drove out 2000 Abyssinians taking refuge in caves in the mountain slopes forming a natural fortress above the plain at Shelicot. Several planes were damaged by bullets and shells, but they returned safely.-

Capture of Tanks Confirmed Received Sunday, 7 p.m. LONDON, Jan. 11. The Times’ Addis Ababa corres.-

pondent confirms the Abyssinian capture of six tanks, which tho Abyssinians found in a mountain defile. They built stone barriers at night to prevent tho machines escaping and * attacked them at dawn, eventually, despite casualties, killing or taking prisoner the crews.

LIKELIHOOD OF FRESH PEACE ATTEMPTS

Tho suggestion of a likelihood of a fresh attempt to secure peace is being widely discussed here. Two sources, one of which is Le Journal, hint that the initiative may come in an Italian request to the League to send a committee of neutrals to Abyssinia, ostensibly to investigate the conduct of the war, but actually to explore avenues to peace. Such a committee might censure Italy’s aggression, while affirming the necessity for-the social and economic reform of Abyssinia, as a palliative to Italian dignity. Other quarters, however, ask: Would the Emperor accept Italian eo-operu-tion or be accommodating, in tho light of the military position?

ABYSSINIANS GREATLY HEARTENED Received Sunday, 7 p.m. ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 11. Abnormal torrential rains continue, greatly heartemng the Ethiopians. This, plus priestly exhortation and prophecies, and the eclipse of the moon, have worked the soldiers into a fighting spirit bordering on hysteria, as illustrated in the recent capture oi tanks.

The Abyssinians now possess 23 serviceable captured tanks, with which the Emperor is constituting a tank corps.

Minor Casualties Admitted by

ROUT OF ABYSSINIANS CLAIMED.

Three Italian officers wero wounded and one non-commissioncd officer and two askaris killed ia a conflict at the junction of the Gabat and Ueva rivers, west of Makale. The Abyssinians sustained considerable loss and fled westward before the fire of the Italian light artillery and trench mortars. They encountered a column of askaris, who scattered them with machine-guns and rifles.

Vanished Hopes of Spectacular Victory

The Paris correspondent of the NewsChronicle learns on the highest authority that M. Laval has been informed that Signor Mussolini’s expectations ot' being able to present the League with an accomplished fact of a rapid and spectacular victory have vanished. He now realises ho made two mistakes, firstly, his refusal to accept the HoareLaval plan, and, secondly, his rejection of the advice of tho Italian General -Staff, which advised that an effort should be made to obtain spectacular effects by means of gigantic forces, which would, however, paralyse tho vital rapidity of movement. The French Foreign Office now believes that there are threo possibilities:—

M. Laval’s information is that Signor Mussolini is to anxious to clutch at the chance of compromise that he will not

Tyrol

withdraw from the League in any circumstances.

M. Laval is expected to urge Mr Anthony L'don to agrto to a peace plan presented to Geneva through a minor Bower in order to avoid European complications.

A report from a trustworthy source indicates that the Du >e approached the Vatican with a proposil to take over tho Papal “frozen credits” in Germany, consisting largely of “Peter’s Pence, ” amounting to £300,000, which could be used to finance oil purchases.

Feeling- Against Italy in South

POLICE FIRED ON. LONDON, Jan. 10. The Munich correspondent of the British United Press interviewed a number or Italian refugees, who insist, despite oflicial denials, that there is a strong anti-Italian feeling jn South Tyrol. Polico patrols are forced to march in groups of four, as smaller groups have been fired upon.

General Nobile to be Recalled?

EXILE IN RUSSIA. PARIS, Jan. 10. Lc Matin understands that’ Signor Mussolini is recalling General Umberto Nobile from exile in Russia, and is appointing him aeronautical expert.

General Nobile, who led the Italian air expedition to the Aretic in 1925. was severely censured by an Italian commission of inquiry in the following year and left the country under a cloud, becoming a member of a Russian expedition which searched for some of the missing Italian adventurers. This expedition returned in 1931, and he began work for the Soviet Union, directing the development of semirigid airships. Nobile had been in command of the ill-fated Italia, and the commission blamed him for mishandling tho ship, causing her loss, and for allowing himself to be rescued by the Swedish airman Lundborg before his companions had been removed to gaiety,