NAVY’S VITAL PART

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 March 1941, Page 6

NAVY’S VITAL PART

OPERATIONS IN ITALIAN SOMALILAND MOST EFFECTIVE CO-OPERATION. MANY POSITIONS BOMBARDED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 12.43 p.m.) RUGBY, March 7. An Admiralty communique states: “It is now possible to give some details of the naval support afforded our army in Italian Somaliland during the advance on the coastal area. All important Italian positions along the coast were bombarded by our naval units, these bombardments being carefully timed to co-ordinate with the military advance on the military objectives. Kismayu, Brava, and Bogadishu were bombarded by our naval forces and evidence, secured by the subsequent occupation of these areas, testifies to the effectiveness of these bombardments. In particular it is now known that the bombardments of the Italian positions in the Brava area, carried out in the forenoon of February 22, were conspicuously successful. Hits were scored on military buildings and positions. Enemy motor transport sheltering under trees were heavily shelled. It is now known this bombardment caused great damage and a large number of military casualties and was an important factor leading to the enemy’s evacuation of strong defensive positions in this area. No damage or casualties were sustained by our forces in any of these bombardments. One important naval result in the successful military operations in Italian Somaliland is that the capture of Kismayu and Mogadishu deprived the enemy of two important bases most convenient for the use of commerce raiders and their supply ships. That Mogadishu was used as"a base for raiders and for their supply ships is shown by the discovery and release by our army of a considerable number of merchant seamen landed and interned in the Mogadishu area, after their ships had been sunk by enemy raiders.” “It can now be stated that five Italian merchant ships, with a total tonnage of 28,153 tons fell into our hands as a result of the capture of Kismayu. The ships are the Adria, of 3809 tons; the Savoia, of 5490 tons; the Ermina Mazeilia, of 5472 tons; the Manon, of 5597 tons, and the Leonarda da Vinci, of 7515 tons. Four other ships were scuttled in Kismayu Harbour and one of these is known to be the Italian Marchera of 4531 tons. Losses were also inflicted on the German mercantile marine as a result of the capture at Kismayu of the German steamer Uckermark of 7021 tons, which attempted to escape but she was intercepted by our forces and tried to scuttle herself. The Uckermark subsequently sank while in tow. The German steamer Askari, of 590 tons, was driven ashore. In addition a 6800 ton Italian tanker, Pennsylvania, was sunk by H.M.S. Shropshire in Mogadishu Harbour.”