Italians Driven Out Of British Territory

Northern Advocate, 5 July 1940, Page 2

Italians Driven Out Of British Territory

(Received 11 a.m.) LONDON, July 4,

It is authoritatively stated that the British successfully engaged the Italians at Moyale. The Italians, in considerably superior numbers to the British, crossed the frontier some distance from Moyale and worked round to attack the British post from the rear. The British commander sent immediately for reinforcements, which arrived, and attacked the Italians, who were driven out of British territory. Air Successes. The Cairo R.A.F. communique says: “Co-operating with South African Army bombers, the R.A.F. attacked heavy gun positions near Bandar camp, in the Moyale district. “Bombs scored direct hits on gun positions and a big explosion occurred nearby, probably due to the blowing up of an ammunition dump. “R.A.F. planes machine-gunned troops taking cover in a ravine and woods. All the attacking planes have returned.” Italian Claims. The Italian High Command reports that Italians from Libya pushed across the Egyptian frontier near Solium. Native Dubats from Ethiopia havo occupied the British fort of Moyale, on the Kenya border. Further south, repeated British attacks on the Capuzzo redoubt were i-epulsed. One Italian submarine has not returned. On the Sudan frontier the Italians bombed the fortresses of Akopo and Gallabat. An enemy air raid on Assab caused slight damagij. Nairobi Communique. An official communique, issued at Nairobi, states: “Although there has been no resumption of ground activity in the Moyale area, our aircraft carried out very successfully heavy attacks on the enemy defences yesterday, scoring direct hits on more gun positions, bombing machine-gun posts, and machine - gunning reinforcements,, which were sheltering in a ravine. “It is now revealed that the Italians fired 350 shells into the British positions at Moyale before launching their first abortive attack on Monday.” An Italian communique today claims that strong British forces, attacking at Metemma, were put to flight by a vigorous counter-attack and left behind 60 dead and a number of machine-guns. The Facts. The facts are that a force amounting to about a company, with some Abyssinian irregulars, attacked an Italian force of about a battalion. British casualties were one killed and 10 wounded. No mach-ine-guns were lost. The Italian losses were about three times this number, including three Italian officers. A report from Alexandria states that 10 Italian planes dropped about 20 bombs on Alexandria. Little damage resulted.