CLASH ON LIBYAN FRONTIER

Southland Times, Issue 24153, 15 June 1940, Page 5

CLASH ON LIBYAN FRONTIER

It is officially stated that Italian and British troops clashed last night on the Libyan frontier. Two Italian officers and 60 men were captured and also two machine-guns. There were no British casualties. Reports from Port Sudan say that Abyssinian tribes are growing in revolt and recently routed an entire Italian division. The Abyssinians are well armed with rifles and bombs. A report from Jerusalem says that Fitawari Berou, the newlyappointed Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Army of the Emperor Haile Selassie, departed by air to take up his command. He declared: “Our golden chance has come. We could not battle alone against the modern Italian forces but with Allied support we shall return triumphantly to the Homeland.” Fitawari Berou is confident that he will be able to rally thousands of Abyssinians against the Italians.

A communique issued from Pretoria states that the South African Air Force conducted offensive operations against Abyssinia yesterday. All the aeroplanes returned safely. On three successive days the raids against Italian military objectives in Libya and over the mountainous country of Italian East Africa have shown the ability of the Royal Air Force striking force to inflict considerable damage and to drive off Italian fighters. During the raids yesterday bombers scored direct hits and destroyed hangars and buildings in Asmara and Gura. All returned in spite of heavy antiaircraft fire. Three enemy aeroplanes were destroyed. The Royal Air Force also raided Diredawa aerodrome and bombed a munitions dump. Some hangars were set ablaze. In a further raid on Macaca a fuel dump was set on fire and barracks were extensively damaged. It is officially stated that enemy aeroplanes twice raided British Moyale yesterday. One African soldier was in-

jured. There was no damage. Three aeroplanes also bombed Wajir this morning. Two of the Royal Air Force personnel were injured. The material damage was slight. Both the raids on Moyale were carried out by three aircraft. In the first raid nine bombs were dropped. Three of them failed to explode. One African was slightly wounded in the first raid. In the rest of the northern frontier district and in the coastal areas British machines were active on reconnaissance during Wednesday. No penetration of the territory has yet occurred from the ground and all was reported to be quiet on the front this morning. A message from Aden says that the enemy carried out air-raids last night and early today. No material damage was done. Five Arabs were killed and six wounded. One enemy aeroplane was shot down. A Royal Air Force communique states that in the Middle East attacks were carried out by Royal Air Force bombers on the Italian base at Assab on the Red Sea where a powerhouse, petrol dump and barracks were destroyed. Diredawa in Ethiopia on the railway line from Addis Ababa was also attacked and an ammunition dump blown up. The Italians have not operated on land or sea, but have made some air raids. To date 250,000 tons of Italian shipping have been immobilized in neutral harbours, and 30 ships have been either captured or scuttled. A hundred more Italians have been arrested at Port Said, making 286 there. 'Hie Suez Canal is lifeless except for an occasional oil tanker. Even Japanese ships have been ordered to proceed via the Cape. Contrary to certain misinformed reports it is officially stated that there has been no general evacuation of women and children from Malta nor has any such evacuation been contemplated.