BEYOND CIRENE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 February 1941, Page 5

BEYOND CIRENE

ITALIANS FALLING BACK ON BARCE UNDER UNRELENTING ATTACKS. REARGUARD CUT IN HALF. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright• LONDON. February 4. General Wavell's forward troops in Cyrenaica are pushing on beyond Cirene. which was Marshal Graziani's headquarters for the conquest of Egypt and which is officially reported to have been captured. Infantry with machine-guns are assumed to have taken El Gubba, the last fortified town on the coastal route to Benghazi. El Gubba straddles the 50-mile main road from Derna to Cirene. Cirene is 1800 feet above sea-level and beyond Apollonia, which was presumably cut off. The Italians are apparently withdrawing en masse along the parallel road from Cirene to Barce. After fighting their way from Derna under the Italian artillery fire, the British forces climbed the hillsides inland to the enemy’s level and resumed the forward drive. The troops marched on foot with the artillery and stores in the rear. Hardly a shot was fired between there and El Gubba. The Italians preferred to rely on land-mines and booby traps, dynamiting roads and blowing up bridges.

In west Abyssinia the British forces pushing on toward Gondar are now over 30 miles from the Sudanese frontier in spite of determined obstructive tactics by the Italians. The British in Eritrea are five miles west of Keren, gathering as they press on great batches of prisoners and also masses of guns, lorries and ammunition which the Italians have jettisoned. The British guns are harassing the tired Italian troops with tremendous barrages. Already the Italian rearguard has been halved and has lost 70 per cent of its material. The captors of Barentu took prisoner. 1500 of them and killed 500 and captured a large quantity of guns, ammunition and stores. General Waved recently visited the Eritrean batliefront and watched a pli.i'xe of the battle at Barentu. EAST AFRICAN DRIVE. Keren is one of the important rail centres in Eritrea, and the R A.F has heavily pounded the station which is at the lop a cliff-like escarpment in the 6000 ft. uplands. The Italians, unless they are completely demoralised, are likely to attempt a big stand in this heaven-sent defence position. Sudanese armoured units form the rpearheiul of the British drive while heavier forces are mopping up isolated centres of opposition. Tin- road from Agordat is thick with guns armoured cars and lorry-loads of troops protected by British fighters and anticraft batteries. The forces from Baren- ; tu are advancing steadily. One enemy post manned by native stoutly held out till it was surrounded. I but tiie main body <1 the Italians i?;j retreating Scores of Abyssinian s-l-i dicr? are deserting to the British. A Nairobi communique .says that penal forces ojwratmg from Kenv.i are' making g< ml progress . !■ the fr nt . British, force . ht>wmg them-.!’.-, more than a match the rm-my .md. cur casualliw .re vit 1 . • light