ON TOWARDS TRIPOLI

Southland Times, Issue 24357, 11 February 1941, Page 5

ON TOWARDS TRIPOLI

ADVANCE CONTINUES 10,000 PRISONERS AT BENGHAZI (United Press Assn.— Telegraph Copyright) (Received February 10, 11.0 p.m.) LONDON, February 10. The Army of the Nile is now far beyond Benghazi striking westward towards Tripoli. Advanced elements of the British armoured forces have occupied El Ageila, the last important town in Cyrenaica before the border of Tripolitania is reached. A message despatched from Benghazi today states that prisoners were pouring in throughout the day as the British continued mopping up. At least 10,000 have already been captured. Seven generals have been taken prisoner. So far in North Africa, 19 generals and one admiral have been captured. The British were also busy throughout the day collecting and counting the huge quantities of war material that have been captured. The Rome correspondent of a Swiss newspaper states that the fall of Benghazi has made a deep impression on the Italian people. Benghazi was regarded as a jewel of the Italian Empire. Signor Ansaldo in an article in II Telegraff, Count Ciano’s newspaper predicts that Marshal Graziani will withdraw his entire army to Tripolitania, and adds: The Italians will build strong coastal defence works. The evacuation of Benghazi was a painful blow. Sending reinforcements from Tripoli was easier said than done. The best thing is to hold all available forces in Tripolitania and send others from Italy.

IN ERITREA While Italian civilian refugees are hastily scurrying from Keren to Asmara, strong British artillery and air attacks continue against the stronghold The Italians blew up 200 yards of a gorge forming an entrance to the town, and launched a counter-attack against the flank of the British forces, but they were repulsed with heavy losses, especially a brigade recently brought from Addis Ababa. The Sudan defence force eastward of Barentu has penetrated 50 miles and is still collecting prisoners and material

from scattered brigades. A daring British fighter action over Asmara resulted in at least three defending planes crashing. Information brought by an Abyssinian patriot resulted in the Royal Air Force dealing a smashing blow on a secret Italian aerodrome in the woods near Gondar. The Royal Air Force dived almost to the tree-tops, machinegunned the hidden planes and set fire to several Caproni bombers. The Agordat correspondent of The Daily Express states that for the first time white Italian troops on the Keren front are deserting to our lines, including non-commissioned officers of the famous Bersaglieri.