GUERILLA TACTICS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXL, Issue 20283, 5 December 1935, Page 9

GUERILLA TACTICS

TERRIBLE VENGEANCE AT NIGHT BAFFLING PROBLEM FOR ITALIANS United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received December 4, 7.40 p.m.) LONDON, December 3. Lieutenant-Commander MortimerDurand, “The Daily Telegraph’s” correspondent with the Italian Army at Asmara, referring to the difficulty of mopping up the occupied areas, instances a communique reporting a skirmish in Alemale Pass in the Eastern Tembian area, which was considered to have been cleared of Abyssinians as far back as October 27, yet a brisk action there resulted in fifteen Ethiopians left dead in the field and five Askaris and one non-commissioned native officer killed. This guerilla fighting is difficult to stop, because the bands left by Ras Seyoum in the Tembian country cannot be prevented from penetrating between the posts of Askaris on the front line at night time. The broken terrain affords plentiful cover for irregulars, who by hiding their guns in the daytime are able to pass as ordinary Ethiopians friendly to Italy in the event of surprise by Italian troops. The Addis Ababa version of this fight was that the Ethiopians put a column of 500 Italians to flight, killing 50. CONFIDENCE IN SAINTS ILLUSIVE NATURE OF CAMPAIGN United Press Association—By Electric Tel egrapb —Copyright ADDIS ABABA, December 3. The Crown Prince attended a service in the Bascilica of St. George, who is the Patron Saint of Abyssinia. People are expecting St. George to slay the dragon, meaning Italy. Dr Hockman, who has returned from Dagabur for supplies, says that the entire population, who learned to seek shelter in the bush, were never hit by bombs. He estimates the total Abyssinian soldiers killed in the recent fighting in Eastern Ogaden at 40 in battle and four from the air. Dogs always give the first warning. Poor old Dagabur, consisting originally of mud huts, received hundreds of pounds of bombs from Signor Mussolini. Nothing remains to be bombed. The Abyssinian forces are being liberally equipped and portable wireless sets enable raids to be co-ordinated. Many sets, broken in transit from Europe were repaired at Dessys by the sons of Mr Martin a former Ethiopian Minister in London-