CONQUEST PROCEEDS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 May 1941, Page 5

CONQUEST PROCEEDS

RECENT CAPTURES IN SOUTHERN ABYSSINIA Some 14,000 Italian Troops and 170 Guns ACHIEVEMENTS OF KING’S AFRICAN RIFLES AND GOLD COAST TROOPS AIR AND OTHER OPERATIONS IN NORTH AFRICA LONDON, May 30. In recent fighting- in the Lakes district, in southern Abyssinia, British forces have captured 14,000 Italians and more than 170 guns and have freed 10,000 square miles of territory from enemy forces. Fighting' has been fierce and the results achieved have been due primarily to the King ’s African Rifles and the Gold Coast forces, vigorously assisted by patriots, who have harassed the enemy’s lines of communications. Operations in the Lakes district are progressing satisfactorily in spite of rain and extreme heat. Patriots continue to harass the enemy on al] sides. Planes of the South African Air Force are playing their part in south-west Abyssinia in making harassing attacks on the Italian troops. A. force of 25,000 Italians is still holding out in the region of Jirnnia, In Northern Abyssinia, 17,000 Italians, in the neighbourhood of Gondar, are being steadily surrounded by our troops. British aircraft have bombed and machine-gunned forts in this area and destroyed transport vehicles. In North Africa four enemy aircraft were shot down by anti-aircraft gun fire over Tobruk yesterday. Several others were damaged. In the Solium area patrol activity continues. The Germans have made no attempt to advance beyond “Hellfire” Pass. Five British planes have failed to return from widespread operations in the Middle East.