WAR OF ATTRITION

Evening Star, Issue 23697, 3 October 1940, Page 9

WAR OF ATTRITION

EAST AFRICAN CAMPAIGN ITALIAN BASES REPEATEDLY BOMBED SERIES OF MAGNIFICENT SUCCESSES LONDON, October 1. The 1 Daily Telegraph’s ’ Cairo correspondent says the steady wearing down of Mussolini’s bases in East Africa was carried a big step forward in September. This aspect of the war has not received the publicity it deserves, because of Hitler’s assault against Britain and Marsha] Graziani’s push against Egypt. The British and South African Air Forces have been on the job night and day, and have chalked up a series of magnificent successes. The pilots have down tremendous distances over savage mountainous country, where a forced landing would mean certain death. British planes raided 32 military and air force bases in September. Assab, the chief target, has been raided 10 times, resulting in the sinking of ships and the burning of aircraft, petrol dumps, hangars, and barracks. The vital airport of Gura has been raided seven times, and Kassala and Asmara each four times. Mussolini in September lost 57 planes throughout Africa for certain, and probably another 44, making the totals since the outbreak 214 and 124. Tell-tale columns of smoke throughout Abyssinia reflect the systematic war of attrition against Italian bases. TURKANA FRONT HELD BY SOUTH AFRICAN TROOPS LONDON, October 2. (Deceived October 3, at 8 a.m.) A communique from Nairobi reveals that South African troops have been holding the Turkana front for several weeks. The main purpose of this front is the protection of the desert routes into Uganda and Kenya and also the safeguarding of Turkana tribesmen from raids by Italian regulars. South Africa provided not only the infantry, but all the auxiliary services, including their transport for nearly 500 miles. [The Turkana tribesmen inhabit the western shore of Lake Rudolf, Uganda.] AIR RAID ON HAIFA ITALIAN BOMBER DAMAGED (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 2. (Received October 3, at 9.35 a.m.) A Cairo official communique states: “ During an air raid on Haifa on September 29 one Italian bomber with a crew of five was damaged by anti-air-craft fire and subsequently made a forced landing in Syria. The other fronts are all quiet.” ITALIAN COMMUNIQUE LONDON, October 2. (Received October 3, at 11.40 a.m.) An Italian communique says: The enemy raided Buqbuq and Tobruk, resulting in some men being wounded. There was slight damage. The enemy also raided Gerile and the railway near Hara Pass, north-east of Diredawa. RELIEF FUNDS LONDON, October 2. The Lord Mayor’s air raid distress fund has reached over £BOO,OOO, and the Lord Mayor’s Red Cross fund for the wounded is now over £3,300,000. PRISONERS OF WAR TWO HIGH BRITISH OFFICERS LONDON, October 2. (Received October 3, at 11.20 a.m.) Major-general V. M. Fortune and Licutenant-coloncWH. R. Swinburn are prisoners of war. AUSTRALIAN NAMES FOR LOCALLY-BUILT NAVAL UNITS MELBOURNE, October 3. (Received October 3, at 9.25 a.m.). The Minister of Navy, Mr Cameron, announced that the British Admiralty had approved Australian and aboriginal names being given to the two destroyers and 10 minesweepers being built in Australia, work on which was proceeding satisfactorily.