ABYSSINIA IS RAIDED

Southland Times, Issue 24161, 25 June 1940, Page 5

ABYSSINIA IS RAIDED

Native Irregulars Capture Post ITALIAN LEVIES FLEE (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) LONDON, June 23. An official British communique about raids into Abyssinia states that further patrol activity and lightning raids covering an extensive area have been reported from British Somaliland. In one sector a patrol of native irregulars crossed the frontier and raided an Italian post occupied by conscript natives. After a slight skirmish the enemy fled, leaving one of their number dead. There were no casualties on the British side.

Two hundred miles to the west, , a patrol drawn from the Somaliland Camel Corps penetrated the border and raided another Italian frontier post known to be occupied by natives. On their arrival the troops found the post deserted and destroyed the defences, including water-tanks. There were six air-raid alarms in Alexandria yesterday and last night when Italian bombers tried but failed, to hit Allied warships. There was no damage done and there were no casualties.

Royal Air Force communiques report that an Italian three-engined bomber was engaged by a Royal Air Force fighter off Malta yesterday. After a fight lasting some time, the Italian aeroplane broke in half and crashed into the sea. RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHTS Reconnaissance flights were successfully carried out over Italian East Africa, yielding valuable data. In a raid on Macaca, a direct hit was registered on a compound. At Diredawa, bombers attacked an aerodrome. One enemy aircraft was set on fire and another damaged. Various raids were carried out from Sudan on military concentrations at Asosa, in Ethiopia, resulting in considerable damage to barracks, despite heavy anti-aircraft fire. It is also stated that aircraft of the Aden Command co-operated successfully with the Navy in an attack on an Italian submarine, whose capture by an armed trawler was announced yesterday by the Admiralty. The Admiralty announces that British light forces, operating under the Commander-in-Chief in the East Indies, sank an Italian submarine with gunfire. AEROPLANE OVER HAIFA The 'Daily Telegraph’s Jerusalem correspondent states that anti-aircraft guns went into action against an aeroplane which appeared over Haifa. The aeroplane was possibly an Italian reconnaissance machine from Rhodes. Palestine has been placed on a full war footing, with a decree authorizing the mobilization of the entire human material and resources. The coastal defences are permanently manned. Members of the “fifth column” have been > cleaned up. j King Farouk has accepted the j resignation of the Egyptian Cabi- j net, which is carrying on until a I new Cabinet is formed.

NEW GOVERNMENT IN ESTONIA

RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA TO BE IMPROVED (Received June 24, 6.30 p.m.) TALLINN, June 23. The new Government has announced that its first tasks will be to develop sincere and friendly relations with the Soviet, dismiss dishonest State employers, guarantee rights to minorities and improve the conditions of the workers, as well as the intelligentsia. MOSCOW DENIES REPORTS MOSCOW, June 23. The radio states that foreign reports that Russia and Turkey were negotiating a new agreement are absolutely groundless.