IN ABYSSINIA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 266, 3 February 1941, Page 2

IN ABYSSINIA

MISSION TO NATIVES

an air advknture

The exploits of T. K. Lawrence in Arabia are recalled by the story o! Ihe British mis.sion in Ethiopia to organise and aim the natives to rebel against the Italians. The members of the muMon. using Khartoum, which made Kitdiener lam'ous, as their base,, entered Abyssinia six months ago. They established a courier service to import afms, and organised the training of Abyssinians, M'hom they are reported to have built up to a strong force.

An official wueless report received states that the members of the

mission operated s:ng"j*, each accompanied by a couple of sudanese soldiers; and using little-known mountain paths readied the headquarters of the key tribes. Abyssinia does not look very large on a map; but it is about half as large again as Franco, and it is nearly all very difficult country. The Italians have never been able to control the whole country or the whole population of over six millions, and this great area was a perfect field for the activities of adventurous men. Getting Into Touch. An interesting story was told by the BBC of a daring flight by a British Major who set out to find Mil at had happened to the mission, from M'hom no news had been received. Arrangements Mere made, with the Abyssinians to prepare a landing ground, and the Major set out in an aeroplane of an old type, chosen because it could land in a limited space. The machine climbed with difficulty to the height required to cross the high country, and at

one point the ccw were about to (lump their "ammunition and supplies to avoid c ashing when a lucky slant of wind lifted them over the ridge which had blocked the way.

Then they lost their way, and hunted about, at a low altitude over the rough country, and were in dread of having to make a crash landing when they fortunately spotted the ground that had been prepared for them. They were received by thousands of cheering AbyssinI ians, and in the midst of the natives were the member:; of the British mission, it was a great occasion, celebrated by the baptising of the British officers by Ethiopian priests, and a great feast. A -Note on Kassala. It lias been reported that Kassala a town in the Sudan, about ten miles from the frontier of liritera, and due cast of Khartoum, has been taken from the Italians, who seized it six months ago and made a strong hold of it. By this coup the Italians took control of probably the most 'important centre in the eastern ridge of the Sudan menacing their territory. Forecd out of it, they are retreating into Eritera, where they may be cxpecte 1 to take refuge in the hill country which begins a short distance inside the frontier. Before the Italians captured K:issa'a the inhabitants depended for their food upon grain import cd from the Sudan, and this supply was, as could be cxpected, cut o!T. The Italians had therefore to bring grain from Eritera to feed Ihe in-I'-.tMtants on top cf their own : l'quiivments. The capturing of is or, v one of the early episodes in the general offensive now beginning again"! the Italians'in Abyssinia. The outeon e appears tc be in little doubt, for the Italians are cut off from reinforcements and supplies and are being attacked from many quarters at once. They have the classical "advantage of interior lines of co-m----municalion." b'.t the routes are "o scanty and inadequate that this advantage can be written off. To make their prospects even worse. they have also to resist the attacks of the re-armed and re-organised Abyssinians, who have not forgotten the cruelty of Mussolini's conquest.