CAPTURE OF DESSYE

Southland Times, Issue 24421, 29 April 1941, Page 5

CAPTURE OF DESSYE

LAST BIG STAND BY ITALIANS

SOUTH AFRICANS PLAY LEADING PART

(Rec.. 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, April 28. It is officially announced in Nairobi that British Imperial troops have captured Dessye, the scene of the last major stand by the Italians in East Africa. They marched in on Saturday evening. Those Italian troops who escaped will now have to attempt to reach French Somaliland or continue their purposeless flight northward. Already 600 prisoners have been taken by the Imperial forces and many more are being brought in hourly. The South Africans played a leading part in the action.

A communique issued in Cairo states: “There is no change in the situation in the Tobruk area. In the Solium area last evening enemy detachments crossed the frontier at several points. Our light mobile forces remained in contact with the enemy, harassing their advance. Operations in all areas in Abyssinia are continuing satisfactorily.” According to the military authorities

in Cairo the situation in the Western Desert compares roughly with that of last September, when the Italians reached Sidi Barrani, although the present force is believed to be considerably less than the four or six divisions used then. Two enemy motorized columns, consisting chiefly of Italian troops, advancing eastward south of the Solium escarpment entered Egyptian territory at several points. It is believed that the enemy is not more than 20 miles from the sea. There is no indication of a sweep southwards. The British, continuing their harrying tactics, caused some losses to the enmy. RAID ON BENGHAZI

A Royal Air Force Middle East Command communique states that during Friday night Royal Air Force bombers carried out another raid on Benghazi and dropped bombs on shipping in the harbour and on other military objectives. Large fires were started near the water tower, telephone exchange and army headquarters. There were near misses to ships in the harbour and a violent explosion was caused on the mole. Our fighters machinegunned and destroyed a number of oil tankers and other vehicles moving between Derna and Barce. One Messerschmitt 109 which attempted to attack our ground troops was shot down near Solium. In Abyssinia bombs were dropped on a hangar at Macaaca containing a number of enemy aircraft. Fortifications and troops were bombed and machine-gunned at Chelga and Bahrdar, south of Lake Tsana. From all these operations all oui' aircraft returned cafely.