ENEMY PRESSURE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 April 1941, Page 6

ENEMY PRESSURE

MAINTAINED IN LIBYA BIG HAUL OF PRISONERS IN ERITREA. PATRIOT FORCES DOING WELL IN ABYSSINIA. I (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Dav. 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Apiil 7. A communique from British headquarters in Cairo says: “Tn Libya, in face of continued pressure by strong German and Italian forces, the withdrawal of our aclvance troops to seselectcd areas of concentration is proceeding. “In Eritrea operations around Massawa are developing. Meanwhile our advance towards Dessie and Gondar is continuing satisfactorily. So far. since March 26, over 10,000 prisoners have been captured, together with large quantities of materia). “In Abyssinia, the town of Debra Marcos is in our hands. Patriot forces, which were largely responsible for this successful operation, have already inflicted over 1.000 casualties on the enemy, whose withdrawal southward is being closely followed up. Considerable quantities of war material have been captured. Following upon the occupation of Addis Ababa, operations are developing west, north and south of the town.” UNCEASING ATTACKS MADE BY R.A.F. IN AFRICA, DESTRUCTION OF ENEMY PLANES.

(British Official Wireless.) (Received This; Dav. 12.5 p.m.) RUGBY. April 7. A R.A.F. Middle East communique states: “Enemy aircraft at Kombolcha, near Dossie, were machine-gunned. Three CR42's, two CR32's, and three S79’s were destroyed and a number of other aircraft severely damaged. “In Eritrea, the South African and Free French air forces have continued to give active support io the advancing troops. “In Cyrenaica, bombing attacks were made on enemy transport in the region of Agheila on the night of April 5. “On the same night an aerodrome at Calato, on the Island of Rhodes, was raided by our aircraft, but full results could not be observed. “From all of these operations, our aircraft returned safely, with the exception of one bomber." - GERMAN CLAIMS (Received This Day, 11.55 a.m.) LONDON, April 7. The Berlin radio stated that Italian and German troops, advancing from Benghazi, had reached Tokra. Other detachments had reached Seledim, 45 miles south-eastward of Benghazi. >