MIDDLE EAST

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23748, 30 August 1940, Page 10

MIDDLE EAST

SPORADIC ATTACKS RAIDS ON ABYSSINIA ENEMY OVER PORT SAID By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyriftht LONDON, August 28 A communique issued by the Royal Air Force headquarters in the Middle East states : "Long-range Blenheims resumed attacks on Italian military objectives in Abyssinia. "They bombed a motor yard and barracks at Harar and a motor transport compound at Dessie, where direct hits on buildings and motor transports wore made. Two fires wore started. "These wore the first large-scale raids on Abyssinia since the military aerodrome at Addis Ababa was bombed on August 18." Patrol Raids Frontier Post A Cairo communique says a mechanised British patrol and Sudanese troops successfully raided the Italian frontier post of Adardeb and left it aflame, inflicting many casualties. Haifa was again • bombed by the Italians yesterday afternoon. Negligible damage was done. There were a few civilian casualties, but none was fatal. The enemy raided Port Said, for the first time since the outbreak of war, early this morning, and also Alexandria There were no casualties and no damage. Air Raid on Nairobi A Nairobi communique says that normal. ground reconnaissances were carried out, and that no enemy forces were encountered. On Tuesday a garrison was bombed by three enemy aircraft, but there were no casualties and no damage. A Rome communique states: "We again violently bombed the oil centre of Haifa last night, hitting the railway station and a new oil refinery, and starting largo fires everywhere. All our aeroplanes returned. "Large numbers of enemy aeroplanes •raided Derna. A small Italian ship carrying timber was hit elsewhere, suffering some damage. "Two were killed and five wounded when the enemy hit a native hospital at Harar, tho local garrison hospital at Dessie, where eight persons were killed and 29 wounded, and also the prison at Massawa, where there were no casualties. One British aeroplane was shot down." The Berlin radio alleged that an Italian bomber heavily hit a British cruiser in the Mediterranean. The pilot saw smoke rising from the cruiser, which was heeling over. CHAD REBELLION FRENCH ADMISSION "INSPIRED BY BRITAIN" ALLEGATION FROM VICHY LONDON, August 2S A message from Vichy states that the Petain-Laval Government has confirmed the outbreak of a "Britishinspired rebellion" in France's African Empire. It is stated that a revolt has broken out in French East Africa, but that "all necessary steps have been taken to localise the situation.' It is officially declared that tho situation arose when the military governor of the Chad Territory, Colonel de la Rima, -went to British West Africa after making contact with General De Gaulle for the incitement of the Chad population to rebellion. It is not made clear -whether the Chad rebellion has spread to other regions. RED CROSS FUND DONATIONS IN BRITAIN TOTAL EXCEEDS £2,650,000 British Wireless LONDON, August .28 The Lord Mayor of London to-day received £SOO for the Red Cross Fund from a sergeant in an anti-aircraft battery stationed in Kent. Last night the fund reached a total of £2,677,000. The Australian Red Cross has now given more than £42,000 to the fund.