FALL OF GONDAR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 November 1941, Page 5

FALL OF GONDAR

ITALY’S LAST STRONGHOLD LN AFRICA GARRISON OF 10,000 MEN SURRENDERS. END OF MUSSOLINI'S AFRICAN EMPIRE. Gondar, the last remaining Italian stronghold in Abyssinia, has surrendered. The defence force is believed to have exceeded 10,000 men, half of them Italians, with 50 guns. This means the end of Mussolini’s East African Empire. The final attack on Gondar, which is in mountainous country at an altitude of 7000 feet, was made by all available forces. The attack was pressed home with great determination. Early in the afternoon, British armcured vehicles entered the town and soon afterwards an enemy car flying the white flag came to meet them. The forces engaged in the final attack on Gondar included British, Sudanese, East and West African troops, Abyssinian patriot forces under British officers, units of the Ethiopian regular army and a small Free French force. The East African troops had a leading part in the final assault. FINAL ASSAULT MADE BY EAST AFRICAN TROOPS., OFFICIAL REPORT GIVES DETAILS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.47 a.m.) RUGBY, November 28. A warm tribute to the East African troops is paid in a Nairobi communique announcing the fall of Gondar, which states: “On the evening of November 27, General Nasi surrendered Gondar fortress to our troops. The attack began at dawn, on both flanks, and was pressed home with great determination by the whole available forces. “The battle took place in high, mountainous country, very favourable to the defence, and averaging 7,000 feet above sea level. By 8.30 a.m. the enemy lines had been pierced on both flanks. Our troops fought magnificently. By midday, the whole enemy southern flank had been turned and our attack was passing round his rear. So falls the last enemy stronghold in East Africa, which the enemy spent six months in fortifying. “Details of prisoners and booty are not yet known, but the defending forces are believed to exceed 10,000 men, at least half of whom are Italians, with fifty guns.

“Highland, Indian, Sudanese, South African, West African units, with small numbers of Free French, took part with distinction in the preliminary operations and to contain portions of the enemy’s line. “The principal credit for the final battle must, however, be given to the East African and patriot troops. The assault on this final position was carried out almost exclusively by the East Africans. Artillery of all calibres, including medium guns, was also largely manned by East and West Africans. More East African soldiers took part in this battle than in any one battle of the campaign. It is fitting that African soldiers, who have played so prominent a part in the whole campaign,' should have the honour of finally overthrowing Mussolini's East African Empire. A final heavy bombing raid over Gondar, carried out by bombers and fighters of the South African Air Force, supported by the R.A.F., took place yesterday. Our aircraft, in the early afternoon, saw our armoured fightingvehicles entering Gondar and our own troops approaching the town from Himm, on the southern side. Shortly afterwards, a car with a yrhite flag was seen approaching our forces. The constant support given to the land forces has been a noteworthy feature of the operations against Gondar. The heaviest attack, was carried out on November 17, when the enemy’s defences were bombed and machinegunned almost without cessation. Again on November 20 our attack lasted without a break for ten hours. In addition to the demoralising effects of the air raids, our pilots gave considerable direct and close support to the land forces throughout the operations.

The capitulation of Gondar marks the end of a highly successful campaign conducted by the air forces in East Africa, resulting in the complete destruction of the Italian air arm.”

SURRENDER ADMITTED ITALIAN COMMUNIQUE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.25 a.m.) RUGBY, November 28. An Italian communique, admitting the fall of Gondar, stated: “Yesterday at four a.m., British forces which had invested Gondar from all sides started an attack on the city. Our garrison, too small to defend an extended area, tenaciously defended its position until the afternoon, in spite of the retreat of some of our colonial troops, which were unable to withstand the violent attacks from the air and the ground. Finally the enemy succeeded in penetrating into the city, with numerous armoured units. After all means of resistance had been exhausted, and in order to spare the civilian Italians as well as the native population further sacrifices, the Commander-in-Chief of the sector, at 2 p.m., ordered a cessation of hostilities.”

The communique further admits a British air raid on Naples, where heavy material damage was caused,