THOUSANDS DEAD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22825, 9 March 1936, Page 9

THOUSANDS DEAD

THE FIGHTING IN ABYSSINIA DESPERATE BATTLE RAGING HEAVY LOSSES ON BOTH SIDES (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, March 6. (Received March 8, at 5.5 p.m.) An official communique comprehensively denies the Italian allegations of an Abyssinian defeat and chaos on the northern front. It adds: "There has not been a single Italian victory on thj northern front. On the contrary a great battle is proceeding, with heavy losses on both sides. Has Mulugheta, with excellent troops, is marching towards Amba Alagi." Unofficial despatches announce that the most desperate battle of the war is raging at Tembien. with a total disregard of life. There are thousands of dead and wounded on both sides and the Takazzc Riverbed is choked with corpses. The armies of Emperor Sellassie and Marshal Badoglio, whose manpower is equal, are throwing in reserves to strengthen the fighting lines. A later message states that it is believed that the Italians intend shortly to bomb the capital because a threeengined Caproni bomber, appearing from the direction of Negalli, spent an hour circling over Addis Ababa at a height of 7000 feet, taking photographs and scorning ineffectual machine-gun fire from the ground. The inhabitants removed beds and furniture and took up quarters in prepared trenches outside the city. Proclamations have been issued in the hope of ensuring the safety of the people. All women and children have been ordered to stand in readiness to evacuate Addis Ababa at dawn. Rome merely announces that four Italian Army Corps reached Korbeta, 12 miles south-west of Amba Alagi, and the third corps also turned south-wards towards Fenaroa Samre. News of the most important sector is brieflly dismissed with the announcement that other Italian forces are "skirmishing" with Abyssinians in an endeavour to maintain hold of the Takazze fords. The fourth corps, which was ordered to " mop up" the shire district, has outstripped the supplies, necessitating aeroplanes dropping food by means of parachutes.

ITALIAN PILOT KILLED ADDIS ABABA, March 6. (Received March 8, at 0 p.m.) It has been announced that four Italians were returning from a bombing raid at Takkaze when a bullet struck a vulnerable part of the machine, setting it on fire. The pilot, Colonel Olivetti, ordered hie three companions to parachute to earth. They refused, but the colonel compelled Captain Ercolane, who had besn urging the colonel to jump ilrst, to don a parachute. He prevailed upon the others after a struggle to leave the machine. They landed safely, but when the machine crashed south of Aksum the shattered body of the colonel was found among the ruins. He was buried with military honours. BOMBING OF RED CROSS BRITISH OFFICER KILLED ADDIS ABABA, March 6. Major Gerald Burgoyne was killed by a bomb from an Italian plane while acting as transport officer to the Ethiopian Red Cross retiring with Ras Kebada's troops from Aniba Alagi to Quoram. ,■'..' It is understood that Major Burgoyne's caravan bore a prominent Red Cross flag. Abyssinia has sent a strong protest to the League against Red Cross bombings. The Emperor's American advisers are preparing a communique completely denying the Italian claims of big. victories. Dr Melly was performing a delicate abdominal operation when the bomber circled the camp and commenced bombing the Red Cross station. The Times and other correspondents narrowly escaped, the bombs bursting nearby. The astonished doctor shouted: ■" The dirty pigs; thc3''re bombing possible to treat the dozens of new patients, as all undamaged lorries were required to evacuate the earlier cases. Dr Melly declared: "Fifty were dying on my hands as the result of this'' cowardly, despicable action disgracing the white race."

The Emperor personally telephoned Dr Melly: "I cannot find words to express my extreme sorrow." Dr Brown, the international Red Cross delegate at Addis Ababa, telegraphed to Geneva: "Premeditation of Italian action undeniable.'

NO TROOPS IN VICINITY LONDON, March 6. The Foreign Office received Dr Melly's report on March 5. Dr Melly adds that the nearest troops were two miles distant. One of the bombs actually fell on the ground flag. It ia stated at the Foreign Office that the Italian Government was notified towards the end of January that a British unit was proceeding to Quoram. A strong Note of protest is probably being despatched to Italy. ITALIAN " EXPLANATION " ROME, March 6. (Received March 8, at 5.5 p.m.) It has been officially explained that the bombing of Major Burgoyne'e column happened at important cross roads assigned to bombers as their objective. The Italian viewpoint is that Major Burgoyne is merely an Abyssinian officer, which precludes special inquiries, because Italy does not concern herself with enemy casualties. An eye-witness of the bombing, telegraphing from Dessie, says: "The Union Jack droops dejectedly over the scene of utter desolation at Quoram, where a throng of sick and wounded peasants, women and children suffering from horrible gashes and gas burns, mourn their dead. A vast hole gapea in the centre of the Red Cross ground flag, and the wreckage of the operating tent flaps over the blood-stained table on which the surgeons continue to work after the bombing, amputating the legs of two patients who were wounded a second time." BRITAIN LODGES PROTEST (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, March 6. The British Ambassador at Rome, Sir Eric Drummond, has been instructed to lodge an immediate protest with the Italian Government in regard to the bombing of a British ambulance, the Italian Government being requested to order an immediate investigation, and meantime to issue the strictest instructions against a recurrence of the incident.

A SECOND RAID REPORTED ADDIS ABABA, March 7. (Received March 8, at 9 p.m.) An official message states that the British ambulance at Quoram was again bombed on Thursday. Four more patients who were wounded in the original bombing have euccumbed. The second bombing inflicted no casualties, as the patients and the personnel had previously been placed under cover. Some reports say that 26 natives were killed in the environs of the camp. Dr Melly declared: "I had 50 men dying on my hands as the result of the despicable action of the Italians, who disgraced the white race." THE BOMBING DELIBERATE LONDON, March 7. (Received March 8, at 9 p.m.) The Times Quoiam correspondent witnessed the entire bombardment of the British Red Cross and unhesitatingly declares that it was deliberate. The bomb which destroyed the Red Cross tents demolished the correspondent's tent and kit and incinerated his motor lorry. LEAGUE'S PEACE APPEAL THE REPLIES AWAITED (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, March 6. (Received March 8, at 5.5 p.m.) The result of the appeal addressed by the League of Nations to both belligerents in the Italo-Abyssinian dispute is awaited with much interest here, where the twofold functions of the League in dealing with the dispute are fully appieciated. Although the work of \ the Committee of Eighteen appointed by the larger Co-ordination Committee of the League for the organisation of sanctions is proceeding' at Geneva through expert sub-committees, attention for the present is mainly directed to the result of the renewed effort at conciliation initiated on March 3 by the members of the Council, sitting without the parties to the dispute as a Committee of Thirteen. Important issties which are receiving the close attention of the British Government are raised in the request addressed by M. Flandin to Mr Eden at Geneva this week. The matters < have reference to the situation which,'in the opinion of M. Flandin, might arise if, in the event of efforts at conciliation proving ineffective and a decision being taken at Geneva under the Covenant to proceed with the oil embargo, Italy were to indicate her refusal to further participation in the Treaty of Locarno, of which she is one of the guarantor Powers. The question is for the present purely hypothetical, for although the report states that the imposition of the oil embargo might result in Italy's withdrawal from the League and denunciation of the Franco-Italian military agreement, as well as refusal to sign the London Naval Treaty, no indication has been given of the attitude she would adopt towards the Locarno Treaty in such eventuality.

Pending the reply of Signor Mussolini to the urgent appeal of the Committee of Thirteen, however, all possible oi probable contingencies are naturally being subjected to close examination. THE APPEAL FOR CONCILIATION ROME, March 7. (Received March 8, at 11 p.m.) Marshal Badoglio reports that enemy remnants continue their disastrous flight southwards, harassed by Tigrean and Gallaite bands eager to exact vengeance for long-suffered abuses. The Cabinet has decided to accept the appeal of the Committee of Thirteen to attempt to' settle the war by conciliation.