VIGOROUS CHASE

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21366, 10 March 1941, Page 5

VIGOROUS CHASE

RETREATING ITALIANS ; BRITISH PRESSING ON BOMBING OF TRIPOLI (Omcttl Wireless) (Received March 10, 11.40 a.m.) RUGBY, March 9 ! A Cairo Headquarters communi- ! que states: In Libya and Eritrea there ! is nothing of importance to report. ! The vigorous pursuit by the ; patriot forces in Abyssinia of the rei treating Burye garrison is continuing. ; British troops in Italian Somaliland ’ occupied Gabre and Darra, on the i main road from Mogadiscio to Harar. I On the other fronts the extension I of the British areas of occupation is j proceeding, with many additions to ] the number of prisoners already j taken. i A Royal Air Force Middle East | communique states: In Albania ! bomber formations supporting the ! Greek Army operations attacked j Italians troop concentrations and I motor transport at Tepeimi and on ; the Glava-Buzi road. 1 Direct hits were obtained on build- | ings and roads, and two fires were | started. In Libya during the night of March 7 bombers attacked the harbour of Tripoli. Bombs were observed burst- : ing an the railway line, j Enemy aerodromes in Tripolitania ! were also bombed, i Bombers inflicted considerable j damage on the Keren-Asmara road i in Italian East Africa and attacked 1 enemy troops positions in the Keren I area. South African fighter plames I machine-gunned and burned out two ! oil dumps and a lorry south of Asmara. From all these operations our planes returned safely. SWEEP INTO ABYSSINIA RETREAT OF ITALIANS ENEMY’S HEAVY CASUALTIES (Unites press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, March 8* British forces from Ferfer are sweeping into Abyssinia from the south-east at the rate of 100 miles a day; they are now believed to be approaching Gabredarre. The retreating Italians have outdistanced the pursuers, but South African Air Force machines are harrying them without respite. The British forces are on good metalled roads in East Abyssinia, en route to Harar. They are marching on without opposition. The Italian force has withdrawn from Lugh Ferrandi, near the Italian Somaliland border, and is retreating toward the south. The Abyssinian Lakes have been cleared of organised Italian forces. 21,000 Dead or Prisoners The Italians left 21,000 dead or prisoners in Somaliland. ; British and Ethiopian patrols are I increasing the pressure on Chilga, in north-west Abyssinia. British sap- ! pers are clearing land mines from the road to this point and patriots are using pinpricking tactics against the at Gondar. I The Italians in East Africa are greatly demoralised by the complete absence of Italian aircraft owing to the supremacy of the Royal Air Force. RIOTS IN DAMASCUS i SEVERAL PEOPLE KILLED | CLASHES WITH TROOPS j FLOUR AND WHEAT SUPPLIES (United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright) ! (Received March 10, 1.0 p.m.) DAMASCUS. March 9 ’ Four people were killed and score* wounded when police and troops i broke up street demonstrations 1 against the French Government’s ’ ordinance concerning flour and wheat supplied. | The High Commissioner previously broadcast to Syrians and Lebanese, saying that he was doing his utmost ! to rectify the distribution of supplies at present in the country. | There have been strikes at Damascus and Aleppo in the past few days, which flared up into open clashes. Trops patrol the streets. WORK LONGER HOURS OFFER BY STEEL WORKERS STRIKES IN OTHER WORKS DEFENCE ORDERS AFFECTED (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel.*Copyright) NEW YORK, March 8 Employees of the Midvale Steel Plant, Philadelphia, voted to work a seven-day 56-hour week in the interest of the national defence emergency. This contrasts sharply with the alarming epidemic of strikes in many places where large defence ordere are | being undertaken. Obviously many union leaders are taking advantage of the exceptional circumstances to force rates of pay up and hours of work down. Mr Edward Kunz, secretary of the Federal Labour Union, in announcing the Midvale decision to extend weekly hours, said: “Other unions may criticise us for this, but we are loyal Americans before anything else.” 1 An agreement by which Spain will send 12.000 flasks of mercury and 400.000 cases of oranges to Britain in exchange for wheat and rubber was signed in Madrid on Saturday by representatives of Britain atiG Spain.