BRITISH TROOPS MAKING GOOD PROGRESS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 April 1941, Page 5

BRITISH TROOPS MAKING GOOD PROGRESS

In Advance from Diredawa FATE OF MASSAWA NOT YET KNOWN SURRENDER EXPECTED AT ANY MOMENT British troops marching against Addis Ababa, the capital of Abyssinia, from Diredawa, have already covered half the distance and are little more than 100 miles from the Abyssinian capital, states the 8.8. C. A Nairobi communique states that the British forces are approaching the River Awash. Imperial troops are keeping up their reputation of making the fastest day by day advance in military history. When they captured Diredawa they had advanced 25 miles a day for over two months. In Southern Abyssinia, 387 men, including a brigadier, were captured when British forces occupied a post in that area. Four guns and 15 machine-guns were also taken. The offensive on a broad front in Southern Abyssinia is progressing satisfactorily. Bombers of the R.A.F. and South African Air Force continue to strike at the remaining Italian resistance in Abyssinia. They have smashed the only railway from Addis Ababa to Diredawa and are bombing' the few remaining - roads in Italian use. The fate of Massawa, the Italian naval base in Eritrea, is still unknown. The Italian reply to the British demand for its surrender is expected at any moment. The greater part of the defeated Italian army from Keren retreated towards the Abyssinian frontier, but some have fallen back to the port of Massawa. Extensive demolitions along the road have temporarily delayed the British advance.' Over 3,000 prisoners have already been counted at Asmara and many more are coming in from enemy troops overtaken by the British advance to the east and south.