NORTHERN FRONT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22790, 27 January 1936, Page 9

NORTHERN FRONT

THE ABYSSINIAN CAMPAIGN HEAVY FIGHTING CONTINUES (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) ADDIS ABABA, January 24. The Abyssinians are countering Italy’s claim of complete success in the battle on the northern front, with the death of 2000, and the capture of 1000 Abyssinians by asserting that 1700 Italians were killed and that 800 soldiers, many of Austrian extraction, voluntarily surrendered. The battle is continuing with undiminished severity, despite the Italian assertion that a nine-mile advance was made on a 37-mile front.

The operations began when 20,000 of the finest Abyssinian’ troops massed at Madi Ghibba and marched north-west along the Gheva River to attack the Askari Corps protecting the Italian right flank, which many aeroplanes supported.

The Italians, before launching a counter-offensive, ordered an advanced detachment to withdraw, while the Air Force spotted the Abyssinian movements A Blackshirt division, meantime, hastened to the Abaro and Alemale passes, whence it counter-attacked with heavymedium artillery, despite which the Abyssinians made progress on the first day. The Blackshirts were then thrown in the changing character of the battle from an artillery to an infantry engagement on the following two days, constituting the fiercest engagement to date on the northern front.

DETAILS WITHHELD LONDON, January 24. The Addis Ababa correspondent of The Times confirms the continuance of the battle, and explains that the Abyssinian Government was withholding official details until the conclusion. It is believed, however, that 3000 Italians were killed or captured. The engagement is the result of the Italian endeavour not only to repel the Abyssinians, but advance the whole line southward to secure a position before the general rains. These are already heavy and are greatly impeding traffic. The Telegraph’s Dolo correspondent says the results of General Graziani’s cavalry raid on the southern front are much less than home-dwelling Italians are led to believe. DESPERATE FIGHTING BOTH SIDES LOSE HEAVILY LONDON, January 25. (Received Jan. 27, at 1.15 a.m.) A message from Tembien says that desperate fighting, in which both sides claimed the advantage, raged round Makale, whose fate is still in the balance. The combatants are giving their lives recklessly. The present stage of the conflict is the last phase of a general engagement in the Tembian region. The Italians, while announcing a victory, admit losing 19 white officers and 389 white soldiers killed and 310 Askaris killed and wounded. These are the heaviest losses since the inception of the campaign. The Italians assert that the Abyssinians lost 8000 men, 4000 of whom were taken prisoner.. The Abyssinians, whose combined forces are 40,000, under Ras Kassa and Ras Seyoura, discount the Italian claims and declare that the invaders lost heavily in hand to hand fighting between Makale and Hauzien attendant upon the successful Abyssinian outflanking movement, but this success seems to be temporary, Italian reinforcements having restored the position. Nevertheless the Abyssinians- assert that their onslaught broke the morale of the Italians and drove them in flight with the loss of two fortified positions, 1700 dead, while 800 were taken prisoner. An Italian wireless message from Makale admitted that the position was desperate and implored reinforcements, but it is uncertain at what phase of the battle this was despatched. An Asmara official Italian account points out that unlike previous northern engagements, the third major Tembien battle was fought almost entirely by white troops, namely, the Black Shirt division. Ras Kassa, faced with this opposition, attempted to surround the advancing column, throwing his entire force into battle on January 21 in an effort to annihilate the Black Shirts. In hand-to-hand fighting the Black Shirts fought valiantly all day, and eventually broke the encirclement with heavy losses. Ras Kassa, on January 22, adopted an open formation, abandoning his customary caution and hurling all his men against the Italians, charging them again and again, despite a murderous artillery barrage and machine gun volleys. The Abyssinians, apparently insensible to losses, maintained spirit until January 23, when seemingly inexhaustible forces of Ras Kassa’s troops stormed the Italian positions. The Black Shirts, despite furious bayonet charges, were losing ground when the commanders, scorning delay in action, rushed up reinforcements which turned the scale against the Abyssinians, the fresh troops combining in a final assault with the Black Shirts, who leapt from defensive positions and scattered Ras Kassa’s warriors in what is claimed to be as decisive a victory as General Graziani’s on the southern front.

Fifty thousand warriors from mixed tribes are en route from Addis Ababa to reinforce Ras Desto, whose troops General Graziani continues to pursue, despite reaching the almost waterless and thickly forested Rcngi Highlands, where he has been compelled to restrict the troops’ water supply to a pint and three-quarters a day.

ITALIANS CLAIM SUCCESS ROME, January 24. The Italians claim complete success in a three days’ battle on the northern front. Marshal Badoglio’s communique states that, learning that Ras Kassa had planned to launch a heavy offensive, it was decided to forestall the enemy, who were surprised, and, after desperate fighting, the manoeuvre ended in complete success. “ INIQUITOUS ” SANCTIONS ROME, January 24. The Italian criticism of Great Britain and Captain Eden broke out again in virulent form to-day The Popolo dTtalia publishes a long indictment of the League policy, and refers to “ iniquitous ” sanctions. Thus the relative truce apparent since the death of King George has been abandoned. The Italian Government has addressed a Note to Britain and other sanctionist members of the League protesting against the Anglo-French mutual assistance agreement, stating that such initiative and understanding do not conform with the spirit of the League, and have produced an atmosphere of profound disquiet, thus endangering European peace.

A TURKISH CLAIM LONDON, January 24. The Manchester Guardian’s Constantinople correspondent says that Turkey considers that, as a reward for being a good member of the League, she should be given full control of the Dardanelles, the restrictions regarding which she considers an anachronism. She points ou f that, in order effectively to support the League, she must not be exposed to an Italian attack in the Dardanelles. She hopes other nations will see the reasonableness of her request.

NAMES OF RACES CHANGED ROME, January 25. (Received Jan. 20, at 8 p.m.) The Italian Turf Club, applying the counter to sanctions to horse racing, has ordered the names Saint Leger and Oaks to be changed to Premiodelfascio and Premiodiana respectively, and cancellation of the names of racehorses in the language of. sanctionist countries.