DUKE OF AOSTA LAYS DOWN ARMS

Southland Times, Issue 24440, 21 May 1941, Page 5

DUKE OF AOSTA LAYS DOWN ARMS

(United Press Association—Telegraph Copyright) (Rec. 11.20 p.m.) LONDON, May 20. The Duke of Aosta, the Italian commander-in-chief in Italian East Africa, has surrendered with his staff and 7000 Italian and colonial troops at Amba Alagi. It is not known whether the Duke’s surrender will mean the end of Italian resistance in Abyssinia, but the troops at Gondar and Jimma are not likely to resist much longer.

The Duke of Aosta’s last message from Amba Alagi to Mussolini said:—“Faced with the impossibility of accommodating and caring for the many wounded and because of the continual deterioration of the situation, which only permitted brief resistance with very heavy losses, I have been led to ask the enemy for honourable surrender and my request has been granted. This is a sad moment, but lam comforted by the conviction that I have done everything humanly possible. I relinquish my command and thank you, Il Duce, for having, during the years of hard struggle, always accorded me your support and confidence. The wai' is not over. We shall soon return to this soil, which is once more drenched with Italian blood for our country’s glory.”

Mussolini’s reply to the Duke of Aosta’s message said: “You and your soldiers have fought heroically and resisted beyond all limits. The Italian people have watched and admired you and share your faith for the future.” A military spokesman in Cairo emphasized the importance of the capture of the road junction of Dalle. This cuts off the only reasonable chance of escape for the two Italian divisions in the Jimma district. They can now only take to the bush and the Italians have a particular aversion to the bush, because Patriots are lurking there.