WAR IN AFRICA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 August 1940, Page 7

WAR IN AFRICA

ENEMY AIRCRAFT RAID MERSA MATRUH SUCCESSFUL BRITISH ATTACK IN SUDAN. AMERICAN MISSIONARIES KILLED BY ITALIANS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day. 10.5 a.m.) RUGBY. August 31). A Cairo communique states: "In the Western Desert on Thursday, Mersa Matruh was raided twice by the enemy air force, causing a few casualties. One enemy aircraft is reported to have been destroyed by anti-aircraft fire.

"Yesterday, in the Gallabat area/ in the Sudan, our troops fought successfully an action against the enemy who was preparing to defend the area. Ten of the enemy were killed and about fifteen wounded. Our casualties were nil.

On August 23 enemy aircraft .bombed and machine-gunned the Sudan missionary station of Boing, southwest of Kurmuk. One missionary and his wife were killed by machine-gun fire as they came out waving an American flag, and two missionaries were wounded. All were American citizens. The mission, which is known to the Italians, is quite isolated and unprotected and near no military objectives of any sort. "There is nothing to report from other fronts.”

MURDEROUS OUTRAGE

ISOLATED MISSION STATION ATTACKED. TWO AMERICANS KILLED & OTHERS WOUNDED. (Received This Day, 9.35 a.m.) CAIRO. August 30. The Governor-General of the Sudan reports that two Italian planes on August 23 bombed and machine-gunned the mission station at Loro in the Upper Nile Province, killed Dr Robert Grieve and his wife and wounded the Rev Kenneth Oglesby and his wife. All were Americans. A fifth member of the staff, an Australian, Miss Walsh, was unhurt.

ITALIAN STORY IRAK-HAIFA PIPE-LINE CLOSED. (Received This Day. 9.35 a.m.) ROME August 30. The “Popolo Di Roma" stated that the oil pipe-line between Irak and Haifa had been closed as a result of Italian raids against. Palestine ports.

NO AUSTRALIANS FIGHTING ON ERITREAN BORDER. DISPOSAL OF ITALIAN CLAIM. (Received This Day. 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, August 30. It was authoritatively stated that no Australian troops were engaged in the action on the Eritrea border in which the Italians claimed on Thursday that ten Australians were left dead.