KEREN BATTLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 March 1941, Page 6

KEREN BATTLE

ITALIANS ADMIT HEAVY LOSSES SOME SUCCESS CLAIMED. GENERAL OFFICER KILLED. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyrigl.% (Received This Day, 12.45 p.m.) LONDON. March 18. An Italian communique slates: "The battle in the Keren sector has continued violently. Our troops repeatedly counter-attacked, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy, whose attacks were repulsed. Our losses were very heavy. General Lorencini died a hero's death leading a battalion. "A R.A.F. raid on Tripoli damaged houses and caused some casualties." CAIRO COMMUNIQUE ALL ITALIAN ATTACKS REPULSED. OVER 800 PRISONERS TAKEN. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.30 a.m.) RUGBY. March 18. A Cairo communique states: “There is nothing of importance to report from Libya. ; “In Eritrea yesterday the enemy delivered a series of determined counter-attacks against positions we recently captured. These attacks everywhere were repulsed with heavy losses to the Italians, who also left over 800 prisoners in our hands. The operations con-

tinue to 'develop successfully. “Pressure by Imperial and patriot forces is being successfully maintained over a wide area upon the retreating Italians in Abyssinia, -while . our troops are extending the area of their occupation. “The British forces operations from a number of bases in Italian Somaliland are continuing.”’