ITALIAN STRONGHOLD IN ABYSSINIA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 20 May 1941, Page 5

ITALIAN STRONGHOLD IN ABYSSINIA

Imperial Troops Occupy Amba Alagi GARRISON ACCORDED FULL MILITARY HONOURS | United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] (Rec. 9.30 a.m.) London, May 19. It is authoritatively stated that the Duke of Aosta, Viceroy of Abyssinia, accepted the terms of surrender and British forces are due to take over Amba Alagi and the garrison to-day. It was later announced that a Rome communique admitted the surrender of Amba Alagi and that the Duke of Aosta had been taken prisoner. The British accorded the garrison full military honours. A 8.0. W. message states that great importance is attached to the capture of Amba Alagi not only because it is very heavily defended but because of its strategical position lying across the lines of

communication. Much interest attaches to the effect of the surrender on the small forces of Italians still resisting elsewhere. The Duke of Aosta was the Italian Commander-in-Chief in East Africa, but the situation has undergone a swift change in recent weeks. The Duke tried to hold high ground hoping that heavy rains would bog the British in the low land, but the brilliant operations which has since occurred necessitated rapid changes of plan by the enemy and it is understood the Duke split his forces into three parts, which probably have since been operating under independent commands, the Duke retaining the most important of them. If the surrender of Amba Alagi is followed by the very quick collapse of other enemy forces it would cause little surprise in London. These two forces are in the neighbourhood of Gondar, westward of Amba Alagi, and Jimma, south-west of Addis Ababa A month ago it was reliably estimated that there were /Z,v)UU enemy troops at Jimma, but to what extent this number has been reduced by desertions, casualties and capture of prisoners is not definitely known. In Gondar, which is practically surrounded, there are probably about 8,000 Italians and a few thousand native troops.

Earlier messages stated that a General Headquarters communique from Cairo earlier reported: “We have surrounded the Abyssinian stronghold of Amba Alagi, and the enemy com-mander-in-chief, the Duke of Aosta, has sent emissaries to seek terms of surrender for the whole of the ' Italian forces in that area.” The surrounding of Amba Alagi resulted from a series of brilliant operations by the Indians and South Africans. closely supported by the Royal Air Force. The British Operations in Southern Abyssinia ore continuing successfully. Reuter’s correspondent in Khartoum says that the first move in the Duke of Aosta’s negotiations was made early on Friday morning. The order to cease fire was arranged for 6 o’clock that evening, and it was also arranged that if the terms were not acceptable hostilities would be resumed at 9.15 p.m. MANY PRISONERS It is stated in London that with the Duke of Aosta’s forces at Amba Alagi the total number of prisoners captured in the Middle East will be 200,000. Amba Alagi is a fortress on the mountain of that name. At the -end of last month Dessie fell to British forces composed largely of South Africans, and the British troops immediately began their long and arduous advance to Amba Alagi. The difficulties of the advance were intensified by obstacles manufactured by the enemy and by guerrilla tactics in the mountains. The Indian troops advanced on Amba Alagi from the north, while the South Africans advanced from the south, and th* forces were assisted by Abyssinian patriots. A week ago the Duke of Aosta is reported to have said: “I will never surrender; I will hold out, if necessary, in the remotest mountain region.” An Italian communique issued yesterday prepared the people for the fall of the Italian stronghold. It said that the defenders were performing prodigies of valour, but spoke of the difficulties being encountered owing to scarcity of supplies, the losses that have been suffered, and the impossibility of ev: cuating the wounded. The view in London is that the Duke of Aosta’s move does no. necessarily mean that the Abyssinian campaign will come to an end immediately. Th.* Duke is apparently of the view that further resistance at Amba Alagi would be useless, but no mention is made of the two other centres of Italian resistance—the Gondar district southwest of Amba Alagi and the Lake district about 200 miles south of Addis Ababa. HITLER’S ORDERS The Duke may well refuse to drop Italian resistance in these areas, following Hitler’s instructions to keep going in Abyssinia as long as possible so as to occupy a portion of the British forces as long as possible away from Libya. If, however, the majority of the Italian troops in Abyssinia are trapped in the Amba Alagi area, it is lil ely that the surrender of the Italian forces there will tesult in a similar move in other districts. Details of the siege of Amba Alagi show that the Italians made refuges from the British artillery fire by tunnelling galleries in the cliff face- and digging gun emplacements out of the rock. In these small caves the Italians were immune from anything but direct hits. The defences were intended to meet an attack from the north, but were vulnerable to the South African advance from the south, although even from this side there were immense natural ramparts. Three hours of concentrated mortar fire by Transvaal troops blew the enemy out of the dug-outs and about 200 were mown | down with machine-guns. Later a | hundred or more were shot down when j they fled, and very few of the Italian force escaped. British and Imperial forces are pursuing the retreating enemy to a town | in the Lake district. After the fall of I Dessie. British troops pursued the fleeing Italians southward. | The military spokesman in Cairo last night said that the terms for the sur-! render of Amba Alagi had been handed j to the Duke of Aosta’s emissary. l Though no details have been published.! the spokesman said they would certainly include the surrender of the Duke ‘ hjmself. the general commanding, and the Italian force there.