FIGHTING IN TRIPOLI.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1763, 30 May 1913, Page 5

FIGHTING IN TRIPOLI.

AN ITALIAN DISASTER.

BEDOUINS PURSUE FLYING TROOPS.

WOUNDED ABANDONED.

By Telegraph—P'ess Assooiation— Copyright

(Rec. May 29, 11.20 p.m.) Rome, May 29.

Details of the 'fighting which took place at Derna, on the north ooast of Tripoli, between the Italian troops and the Bedouins, on May 16, the latter being entrenched in the hills of Sidi Garba, are slowly becoming public, despite efforts to suppress them, and they have aroused a sense of doep humiliation. After peace had been declared with Turkey, tho garrison at Derna was vcducod from fifteen thousand to five thousand.

General Mambretti led out practically

tho whole garrison in the assault, believing that tho opposing force consisted of two thousand Bedouins and two cannon. Instead, he found there were twenty thousand of the enemy, with twelve cannon. Tho Italians were inarched through tho night, and were weary, and without either food or water.

Tho fight commenced at half-past three in tho morning. The Italians occupied the trenches of Sidi Garba, but tlio Bedouins made a vigorous counter-attack, and the Italians retreated in disorder to Seuussi.

They were hotly pursued by the Bedouins . for, five hours, to tlio very trenches of Derna.'

There were two thousand Italian casualties, including sixty officers.

Other estimates place the casualties at four hundred killed and seven hundred wounded.

Over a hundred Italians were captured, and in addition three hundred Ascari colonials wcro killed or wounded.

Many of the Italian injured had to be abandoned.

Only twelve of tlie artillerymen survived the Bedouin attack on the guns.

The officers and men of the Maxim Corps were piled in heaps .of dead and dying around the guns. Only two of the quick-firers were saved. All the mules and a large quantity of stores and ammunition were lost.

Lieutenant Monarelli states that after the battle scarcely two-thirds of the garrison romained. The fugitives were obliged to abandon all the dead and dying. It was heart-breaking. Some, slightly wounded, clung to Lieutenant Monarelli s uniform, crying: "Signor, Lieutenant, don't leavo us behind." Lieutenant Monarelli states that thero was no alternative but to do so, as he had no transport. [A message on . May 19 stated that the Italians dislodged the Bedouins at Sidi Garba, with great losses oil both sides. A cablegram a week later was to the effect that" the Italians were surprised by a deadly artillery Are, and lost many officers, and abandoned four guns, being forced to retreat to Dorna. The Arab casualties were stated at 500.]