RETREATING ITALIANS HARRIED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 March 1941, Page 5

RETREATING ITALIANS HARRIED

Air-Bombing and Shelling of Roads PROGRESS ON ALL FRONTS IN ABYSSINIA TROOPS PRESSING ON TO DIREDAWA A message received from Keren, the former Italian stronghold in Eritrea now in British hands, states that General Sir Archibald Wavell, British Commander-in-Chief in the Middle East, paid a visit to the vicinity of Keren just before the attack and discussed the situation with the commander of the Sudan forces, the 8.8. C. reports. His visit was much appreciated by the troops. One body of the British forces is already pursuing the retreating- Italians along the road to Asmara and another is racing to the north-west in pursuit of Italians on the British left flank. In both cases the enemy is under heavy shellfire and bombing. A Cairo commmunique, which confirms the pursuit of the Italian forces, states that the enemy prisoners have not yet been countered but a large part of the Italian garrison was able to get out. An Air Force communique states that during the final phases of the battle the R.A.F. gave vigorous support to the land forces by bombing the enemy positions and troops. The pursuit of the Italians also continues from Harar in the direction of Diredawa, 30 miles away. Diredawa is on the railway that connects Addis Ababa with Jibuti. Its capture would give the British forces use of this railway, as well as cutting off the Italians from another possible line of retreat. I All other operations in Abyssinia are continuing successfully. Heavy bombing attacks have been made on the Addis Ababa railway.