CAPTURE OF REBEL LEADER

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21992, 18 June 1941, Page 2

CAPTURE OF REBEL LEADER

STRANGE STORY OF TWO ITALIANS Striking evidence of the weakness of the Italian hold on Abyssinia and the superficial character of the conquest is provided by the strange story of t > Italian officer prisoners. The two. Captain Vicenzo Bertc’O, and Second Lieutenant Eugenio Panasci, were captured by Abyssinian rebels under Degach Mangasha on December 7, 1937, sole survivors of a battalion that was surrounded and annihilated at Mt. Isora south of Lake Tsana. After refusing Mangasha’s offer that they serve under ’ and marry his sister and aunt, respectively, tliej remained for 3J years as his personal prisoners. Mangasha used to employ them as his personal tutors, taking copious notes while they told him about European life and things in general. During all this time they were completely cut off .Tom the outer world. Both had wives and families in Italy. They were kept ignorant regardin'the present war until last September when they chanced to see a copy of an Amharlc newspaper published at Addis Abbaba. One month ago they were turned over to British officers, the first white men they had seen since their capture, and now at last they 1 ve w :n to their families through the International Red Cross. If it had not been for the present war and interven n their captivity might have lasted in- I definitely, though Italy might still ’ claim Abyssinia was completely pacified. I