PRESSING ON

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21361, 4 March 1941, Page 5

PRESSING ON

ADVANCE OF BRITISH BOMBING BY AIRMEN ATTACKS NEAR KEREN (Omcial Wireless) (Received March 4, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, March 3 A Cairo communique states: In Libya, Eritrea and Abyssinia there is no change to report. In Italian Somaliland, continuing their advance, our troops yesterday occupied the villages of Ducalegli and Abruzzi, 80 miles by rail from Mogadiscu. A Royal Air Force Middle East communique states: The aerodrome at Berat was heavily attacked. Direct hits were obtained on hangars and buildings, which started an extensive fire, which was visible over 50 miles away. Two enemy aircraft on the ground were destroyed and several others severely damaged by bombs which burst very close to them. It is now confirmed that the total number of enemy aircraft destroyed in the air battle on February 28 near Tepelini was 27, not 26 as originally claimed. Enemy positions in and around Keren were attacked yesterday by our bombers, while fighters of the South African Air Force squadron continued to harass the enemy with machine-gun attacks on gun positions and motor transport. At Burye large fires and heavy explosions occurred as a result of the bombing of military objectives. On other fronts in Italian East Africa air support was given our troops. From all these operations our planes returned safely, with the exception of one bomber which so far has failed to return to its base. Advance Towards Keren A correspondent with the British forces in Eritrea that the Imperial forces, including Indians and Free French infantry, continued to advance towards Keren, capturing the Mescellit Pass, which is 15 miles to the north of the town. The conditions are terribly difficult, as there are no roads fit for mechanised units. Camels are being used to carry materials. The rest of the Imperial forces are still in position four miles southeast of Keren, whose principal defences lie in its 7000 ft. altitude and roads and paths which are hardly negotiable. Further .south the Italians retreated from Barentu to cover Asmara and Massawa, both of which are strongly defended. The Royal Air Force, however, is in complete control of the air in this area, having destroyed all the Italian planes in the vicinity and wrecked the enemy aerodromes. WHEAT IN BRITAIN LARGE-SCALE PRODUCTION AMERICAN TO ADVISE (United Press Assn.—Eiec. Tel. Copyright) (Received March 4, 1.35 p.m.) WASHINGTON, March 3 Mr Thomas D. Campbell, a noted wheat expert, has been invited to visit England to give advice regarding efforts in large-scale wheat production. Mr Campbell believes that production in England is capable of tremendous expansion. USE OF WASTE COLLECTIONS IN BRITAIN TURNED INTO TANKS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received March 4, 1.25 p.m.) LONDON, March 3 Britain’s housewives last year helped to save forty shiploads of paper and enough metal to build 16,000 tanks, announced the Controller of Salvage, Mr Harold Judd. The local authorities are collecting sufficient kitchen waste for food /or 100,000 pigs weekly, also 1000 tons of bone monthly, for the manui facture of fertilisers, glue and I glycerine. | The Government is still not satisfied and is making an effort greatly to increase the collections.