Big Scale Battle on Southern Front

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 43, 21 February 1936, Page 7

Big Scale Battle on Southern Front

Graziani Resumes Northern & Drive : i DISEASE IN ABYSSINIAN ARMY .United Press Association— By Eiectrio Telegraph.—Copyright. \ Received Thursday, 9.5 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 19. Kas Nasibu, Governor of Harrar, and leader of Abyssinia’s central and eastern forces, is reported to have been engaged for several days in a large-scale battle south of Annale. This may indicate a resumption of General Graziani’s drive northwards, several Italian flying columns having appeared in the vicinity of Ginir and Harrar. Leading Abyssinian officials have gone to Dcssio to confer with the Emperor and arrango new plans for the northern campaign in view of an expected advance by Marshal Badoglio. Meanwhile, Has Seyourn and Has Kassa, on the flank of the Italians, aro receiving reinforcements. Dr. Maximillian Belau and an assistant, Thaddeus Madyusky, two Poles attached to the Abyssinian Red Cross, whom the Italians captured at Amba Aradam, assort that measles, small-pox, typhus, dysentery and leprosy afflicted Ras Mulugcta’s. 80,000 troops, wno did not realiso the nature of the diseases, which consequently may spread. Dr. Belau and Medyusky, who remained in a cavern with revolvors ?.u their hands on the last night of the Italian assault, surrendered immediately the Italians captured Amba Aradam. they treated 1900 cases in a cavern hospital, including Ras Mulugetu’s eldest son, Asrato, an Oxford undergraduate, who had a leg wound. They declared that Eas Mulugeta, in whose service there were white officers, including a mj sterious chief of staff. Captain Alexander, attempted to prevent desertions bj branding recaptured deserters on the forehead, check, mouth, and chin with an iron in the form of a circle suiToundiug a Coptic cross. Some were blinded. The Poles were sent to Mussawa, on route to Home, where the Polish Ambassador has already conferred with Signor Mussolini. Abyssinia is protesting that their deportation is a breach of the Bed Cross regulations. Dr. Belau received £4O a month and Medyusky £l2 10s, after iclinquishing the correspondentsnip of tho Warsaw Courier because he icseutcd impediments placed in the way of journalists. Both are three months in arrears in their salaries. Belau surrendered because the blacks treated him as a servant instead of as a doctor. The Times’ Addis Ababa correspondent says that a pilot discovered a supposed attempt to tamper with the Emperor’s private aeroplane. Eeports from Makale state that the Italians are exploiting the Amba Aradam victory by deploying army corps east and west. . The First Army Corps has occupied the slopes overlooking the Danakil Valley preparatory to advancing towards Sokota. Koine asserts that the Third Army Corps has cut off the retreat of Eas Kassa and Eas Seyoum.