FOLLOWING ON REOCCUPATION OF KASSALA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 January 1941, Page 5

FOLLOWING ON REOCCUPATION OF KASSALA

Story of Gallant British Efforts SMALL FORCE GAINS MAJOR VICTORY OVER LARGE ONE CONCERTED ACTION AGAINST ITALIANS IN AFRICA The Italian withdrawal in Eritrea continues, a 8.8. C. broadcast states. British troops are now twenty miles beyond Kassala, whose recapture was reported yesterday. At the same time the R.A.F. has made two heavy raids on the port of Massawa and one on Italian gun positions south-east of Metemma, in Abyssinia. In Kenya also patrols have inflicted losses on the enemy. The most important of these three thrusts is that being made from Kassala. British advanced units are now in touch vzith the retreating enemy along the motor road which runs r through the'centre of Eritrea to Massawa, a port which British air forces have been bombing persistently for months past. An advance from Metemma would increase the Italian difficulties in Abyssinia. The third thrust, from Kenya, rounds off the attacks on the Italians in North-East Africa, where, as the Italians themselves now admit, they are cut off from all reinforcements. GIGANTIC GAME OF CHESS The recapture of Kassala was described by a military authority in London yesterday as a major defeat inflicted on an enemy of vastly superior numbers. The operations conducted against the Italians in the Kassala region during the past six months are likened to a gigantic game of chess played by small British forces against enemy forces of more than two divisions. On July 4 the small British force holding Kassala withdrew with little loss before the advance of an Italian force of two divisions, which included two Black Shirt battalions and a number of mechanised units. Kassala, which is surrounded by hills, gave the Italians a useful base, connected by road with Eritrea and Abyssinia. The capital of a Sudanese province, it stands on a railway and its occupation by the Italians cut one of the British main lines of communication. ENEMY KEPT ON THE HOP At one time it appeared that the Italians contemplated a 1 considerable advance and it became the task of the small British force to harass them and keep them on the hop. The Italians began to occupy a strong defensive position along the hills to the north of Kassala, That line was broken up by the skilful use of a number of small scale patrol forces. This was done in spite of the Italians strengthening their forces. With the co-operation of the Royal Air Force, which made dive-bombing attacks on the enemy positions, the Italian lines of communication were cut. By Christmas Day, the British forces were operating to the south of and behind the Kassala positions. On January 7 the Italians evacuated their headquarters, which were occupied by our forces. By January 13, the local British commander was able to report that the Italians were preparing to evacuate the whole of the area. Next day, more active British operations . were started, always on a small scale and with the enemy invariably in retreat. On January 17, the Sheik of Kassala notified that the ' Italians had evacuated the town and it was occupied next day by British forces. Italian casualties in the area, from July onward, including wounded, are estimated at between 1,700 and 2,000. The most remarkable thing about these operations is that a small foice was able to inflict a major defeat on an enemy established in strong positions. It is suggested that in the Kassala region, as in Libya, an illustration has been afforded of the fate that awaits a commander who rests inert in any positions whatever.