FRONTIER INCIDENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21982, 13 December 1934, Page 13

FRONTIER INCIDENT

ATTACK BY ABYSSINIANS OFFICIAL ITALIAN ACCOUNT [by TELEGRATH —rBESS association] WELLINGTON, Wednesday The Italian Consul in Wellington, Mr. G. Formichella,- has received from the Italian Consul-General in Sydney an official account of an incident on the Abyssinian frontier which was referred to in the cables this week. The account states that it is utterly untrue that the attack was commenced by Italian troops. On December 5 an Italian outpost at Ualual was suddenly attacked by about 1000 armed Abyssinians supported by machineguns and field gun. The large forces attacking caused a slight retreat of the Italian line, but the Itali&#Somali guards gallantly held out on the new positions until reinforcements arrived from neighbouring outposts. They then routed tho attackers, who fled, leaving on the field large quantities of arms and materials. The line originally occupied by the Italian troops was thus retaken. The joint Anglos-Abyssinian commission had effectively arrived at the Italian outpost of Ualual on November 24, 12 days before the attack, and after making contact with the Italian command had left the zone. In view of the very large number of attackers it was unthinkable that they could have been the commission's armed escort. The Italian Government has lodged a protest demanding reparations for the unwarranted Abyssinian attack, which it is presumed was due to tho initiative of some local chief.