IN FULL RETREAT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 April 1941, Page 5

IN FULL RETREAT

ITALIANS LN ABYSSINIA & ERITREA BRITISH COLUMNS CLOSING IN. SUSTAINED AIR FORCE ATTACKS. The Italian forces which have abandoned Diredawa are now in full retreat towards the Abyssinian capital, states the 8.8. C. It is officially announced in Cairo that South African forces are advancing' from Diredawa. In other sectors the general forward movement of the British and Allied forces continues to develop. The number of prisoners is still mounting, and guns and war material are being collected in large quantities. The Italians are now surrounded on every side in Abyssinia by advancing British columns. In Eritrea the advance of the British from Keren to Asmara continues. While the land forces in East Africa have struck heavily at the enemy there is no slackening in the R.A.F. offensive. A large convoy of Italian motor transport north-east of Addis Ababa was bombed and machine-gunned and enemy vehicles were set on fire. Two enemy aircraft were shot down near Jijiga. Heavy attacks were made in Tripoli, on shipping in the Dodecanese Islands, and on military objectives at Elbasan, in Albania. R.A.F. REPORT OPERATIONS IN MANY AREAS. HEAVY AND EFFECTIVE ATTACKS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, March 31. A R.A.F. Middle East communique states: “Yesterday, in support of army operations in Abyssinia R.A.F. bomber aircraft bombed and machine-gunned large concentrations of enemy motor transports in the Dessie and Alomata areas. Many vehicles were set on fire by the attack. “Enemy aircraft attempted to raid the aerodrome at Jijiga yesterday. Two CR 42’s were shot down. “R.A.F. bombers made a successful attack on military objectives at Elbasan in Albania. Direct hits were observed on buildings in the town and fires were started. Enemy fighters attempted to intercept our aircraft, but broke off the engagement damaged. “The harbour of Astropalia, in the Dodecanese Islands, was also raided by a formation of bombers. Bombs were dropped among shipping. “During the night of March 29, another heavy raid was made on the harbour of Tripoli. Bombs were dropped on the docks, main quay and petrol installations. “During the night of March 29, and again yesterday, enemy aircraft attempted to raid Malta. “From all the above operations all our aircraft returned safely. “R.A.F. headquarters in Athens, describing the raid on Elbasan, said enemy fighters attempted to intercept, but broke off the engagement when one of them was hit a number of times and dived vertically, emitting smoke from the engine cowlings. DIREDAWA TAKEN OCCUPIED BY SOUTH AFRICANS. PROGRESS ON ALL FRONTS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.15 a.m.) RUGBY, March 31. The entry of British forces into Diredawa, on the Addis AbabaJibuti railway, and a continued advance towards' Asmara, the capital of Eritrea, are announced in a Cairo headquarters communique, which states: — "In Libya there is no change in the situation. In Eritrea, our advance towards Asmara is continuing. “In Abyssinia. Diredawa has been occupied by South African troops, who are again advancing westwards. "In other sectors, our general forward m'ovement is developing. The number of prisoners is steadily mounting. while guns and other war material abandoned by the enemy are being collected in large quantities.” MEN .& MATERIALS CAPTURED BY SOUTH AFRICANS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Dav, 10.10 a.m.) RUGBY. March 31. A Nairobi communique states: “During the last three days we have caplured 441 Europeans. 317 Africans, ten heavy guns, three field guns, fifteen machine-guns, three tractors, nineteen lorries and a considerable quantity of . assorted war material."