ALMOST CUT OFF

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 March 1941, Page 5

ALMOST CUT OFF

ITALIAN FORCES AT KEREN ENEMY ADMISSION. ROME RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) LONDON, March 6. The Rome radio announced: '“The position at Keren is critical. Our troops are nearly cut off from Asmara. Italians must suffer courageously during the empire’s difficulty.” AIRCRAFT ACTIVE PARTICULARLY AROUND KEREN. MANY POSITIONS ATTACKED. • (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.50 a.m.) RUGBY, March 7. A R.A.F. Middle East communique states: —“East Africa: There was considerable air activity by the R.A.F. and South African aircraft in Eritrea yesterday and the previous day, particularly in the Keren area. Enemy troops, gun positions, motor transport and other military targets, such as road junctions and railways were both bombed and machine-gunned. A flyingboat moored at Zula was machine-gun-ned and burnt out. At Asmara, an attack was made on a supply depot ship. On other fronts in Italian East Africa continued support was given to our advancing troops. In Albania, enemy artillery positions at Luzati were successfully bombed by our aircraft. From all these operations our aircraft returned safely, with the exception of one fighter lost in an engagement over Malta.” MORE CAPTURES PRISONERS AND MATERIAL IN ABYSSINIA. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.50 a.m.) RUGBY, March 7. A Cairo general headquarters communique states: In Libya and Eritrea there is nothing important to report. In Abyssinia our patrols on the Gondar Road are now operating east of Amanit. Tn these operations against the Italian garrison withdrawals from Burye, patriot forces have taken 300 prisoners, two mechanical transport vehicles, four field guns and shot down one enemy aircraft. In addition, a total of 1700 deserters have come into our lines. In Italian Somaliland, while our advance along the line of the main Mogadishu-Jijiga Road is steadily progressing. operations in other areas continue to delevop to our advantage.”