COUNTER CLAIMS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18922, 25 January 1936, Page 6

COUNTER CLAIMS

1 ITALIAN VICTORY VERSION OF ETHIOPIANS BATTLE ON NORTH FRONT MOST PIERCE OF WAR LOSSES OF INVADERS (Elec. Tel. Copyright —United Tress Assn.) ('Reed. Jan. 2.">, 1 p.m.) LONDON. Jan. 24. A message from Addis Ababa states that tin? Abyssinians are countering Italy's claim to complete success in the battle on the northern front and the death of 21)00 and the capture of 1000. The Abyssinians assert that 1700 Italians were killed and thai 800 soldiers, many of Austrian extraction, voluntarily sfirrendered. . The hat Ile is eonl inning wit h undiminished seventy, despite the Italian assertion of :t nine-mile advance made on a HT-mrle front. The operations began when 20,000 of the linesl Abyssinian irnops, massed at Madi fihibba, marched north-west along the Ohevn River to attack an A.sknri corps protecting the Italian right Haul; which many aeroplanes mpported. The Italians, before launching the

'ounter-ofl'ensive, ordered an advance lelaelinieiil to withdraw while t lie air

force spoiled the Abyssinian inovent. A Black - liii t division meantime Hastened to the A barn Alemale passes whence it connter-a'llacked with heavy nu,l medium artillery, despite which the Abyssinian;; made progress on ihe first day. The Blackshirts were then thrown in, changing the character of the bailie fron\ artillery to infantry engagements.

The 'following two days provided the iercest engagement In date on the north-

Thc Addis Ababa correspondent ol the Time.--, confirms the report of the battle .Hid explains that the Abyssinian Uoveiiunent is wilhholding olfieial details until its conclusion, bnt it is believed that 3COO Italians wee killed or capuired in the engagement winch was the i-esnll of lie- llalian endeavour, not only

lo repel the Abyssinians, but also to advance the whole line ..southward and secure a position before the general rains. The rains, however, are already heavy and are greallv impeding traffic. The Daily Telegraph's Dold correspondent says the results of Ceneral ' iraziani's cavalry raid in the southern front an- much less than the homedwelling Italians ,-uv led lo believe.