AN IMPORTANT GAIN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 May 1941, Page 5

AN IMPORTANT GAIN

EXTENDED COMMAND OVER COMMUNICATIONS

SOME DETAILS OF BRITISH ATTACK.

OPERATIONS BRILLIANT! ,Y CONDUCTED.

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, May 19.

The occupation of Amba Alagi will be of the greatest importance. Not only was it strongly defended, but it controlled the north and south communications of Abyssinia.

The surrounding of the Italian stronghold resulted from a series of brilliant operations by the Indians and South Africans, closely supported by the Koya] Air Force. It is stated in London that with the Duke of Aosta’s forces at Amba A.lagi the total number of prisoners captured in the Middle East will be 200,000. Amba Alagi is a fortress on the mountain of that name. At the end of last month Dessie fell to British forces composed largely of South Africans, and the British troops immediately began their long and arduous advance to Amba Alagi. The difficulties of the advance were intensified by ' obstacles manufactured by the enemy and by guerilla tactics in the mountains. The Indian troops advanced on Amba Alagi from the north, while the South Africans advanced from the south, and the forces were assisted by Abyssinian patriots. A week ago the Duke of Aosta is reported to have said: "I will never surrender! I will hold out. if necessary, in the remotest mountain region.” An Italian communique issued yesterday prepared the people for the fall of the Italian stronghold. It said that the defenders were performing prodigies of valour, but spoke of the difficulties being encountered owing to scar-

city of supplies, the losses that 'have been suffered, and the impossibility of evacuating the wounded. The view in London is that the Duke of Aosta’s move does not necessarily mean that the Abyssinian campaign will come to an end immediately. The Duke is apparently of opinion that further resistance at Amba Alagi would be useless, but no mention is made of the two other centres ol Italian resistance —the Gondar district south-west of Amba Alagi and the Lake district about 200 miles south of Addis Ababa. The Duke may well refuse to drop Italian resistance in these areas, following Hitle’rj; instructions to keep going in Abyssinia as long as possible so as to occupy a portion of the British forces as long as possible away from Libya. If, however, the majority of the Italian troops in Abyssinia are trapped in the Amba Alagi area, it is likely that the surrender of the Italian' forces there will result in a similar move in other districts. Details of the siege of Amba Alagi show that the Italians made refuges from the British artillery fire' by tunnelling galleries in the cliff face and digging gun emplacements out of the rock. In these small caves the Italians were immune from anything but direct hits. The defences were intended to meet an attack from the north, but were vulnerable to the South African advance from the south, allhough even from this side there were immense natural ramparts. Three h/urs of concentrated mortar fire by Transvaal troops blew the enemy out of the dug-outs and about 200 were mown down with machine-guns. Later a hundred or more were shot down when they fled, and very few of the Italian force escaped. British and Imperial forces are pursuing the retreating enemy to a town in the Lake district. After the fall of Dessie, British troops pursued the fleeing Italians southward. The military spokesman in Cairo last night said that the terms for the surrender of Amba Alagi hail been handed to the Duke of Aosta’s emissary. Though no details have been published, the spokesman said they would certainly include the surrender of the Duke himself, the general command-, ing. and the Italian force there