Race With Rains In Conquest Of Italian E. Africa

Northern Advocate, 12 March 1941, Page 5

Race With Rains In Conquest Of Italian E. Africa

CAIRO, March 1

The next fortnight, it is believed, will show what further progress the British are able to make in Italian East Africa before the rains terminate large-scale military activity until the autumn.

The rains have already begun in the extreme south of Abyssinia, but unless they start unusually early elsewhere they will not delay the British forces for several weeks. Air reconnaissance shows that the Italians are withdrawing into the mountain fastnesses of the western half of Abyssinia. The two main gateways to the mountains are Jijiga, west of Harar, and Allata, south of Addis Ababa. Keren Only Bulwark. Meanwhile in Eritrea the Italian forces around Keren are making the strongest resistance the Italians have yet offered on any front. The Allied column advancing southward from Kubkub is reported to be four miles from Keren. The Italians regarded the gorge of the river Anseba, through which the road from Kubkub runs, as a firstclass natural obstacle. Hence they mined and blocked it in a dozen places. They regarded the heights on either side of the gorge as impassable and omitted to guard them, but Allied forces climbed along the rocky slopes and rendered enemy positions on the road untenable.

They have forced their way almost to the mouth of the gorge, which debouches into open country before Keren.

Approaching Gondar

Apart from the defence of Keren the most creditable Italian feat in the East African campaign is the skilfullyconducted retreat to Gondar, in northwestern Abyssinia, but now the Italians, under persistent patriot harrying. are beginning to draw in their forces from outposts in the immediate vicinity of Gondar. The patriots, under the leadership of a member of the British military mission, who for months' has played a lone hand in this region, have now occupied a post barely 15 miles from Gondar.

Troops Machine-Gunned,

The R.A.F. Middle East communique says that successful bombing attacks were carried out on enemy camps and motor transport concentrations on the Galave-Buzi road yesterday, by R.A.F. bomber aircraft.

Intense anti-aircraft fire was encountered in certain sectors, by Royal Air Force bomber aircraft. Intense anti-aircraft . fire was encountered in certain sectors, but the aircraft pressed home the attacks, even to the extent of machine-gunning motor transport and troops moving along the road. In Italian East Africa, bombers of the South African Air Force heavily raided Harar on March 3.

Several direct bits were registered on barracks and ether larger military buildings. Further north workshops on the Decamere Road, near Teclesan, and the railway near Habi Mantel, were successfully attacked by R.A.F. bombers.

Active Help at Keren

Our aircraft continued to give very active support to the troops closing on Keren.

Several enemy gun positions were bombed and machine-gunned. A bridge on die Keren-Asmarn road was heavily bombed, and a large petrol dump destroyed. Our fighters machine-gunned and destroyed two enemy grounded bombers.

From all operations all our aircraft returned safely. Enemy aircraft attacked Malta yesterday.

There were no R.A.F. casualties.

Anti-aircraft fire damaged and probably destroyed several enemy fighters.

Enemy aircraft approached Port Said and Ismailia on the Suez Canal last night.

Some bombs were dropped near the R.A.F. aredromes, but no damage was caused.