THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 8, 1941
Battle Of Abyssinia: South African Troops Take Gorai
Springboks Attack In Wilderness
(By Reuter's Special Correspondent with the South African Forces in Abyssinia)
THE BATTLE FOR ABYSSINIA IS NOW UNDER WAY. SOUTH AFRICAN TROOPS. IN LARGE NUMBERS CROSSED THE BORDER FROM KENYA AND CAPTURED A STRONG ITALIAN POST AT GORAI CRATER, 20 MILES INSIDE ABYSSINIA.
ITALIANS
LITERALLY
MOWN DOWN
on
According to Athens! Radio last night, large Greek forces are advanc- ing
the Albanian front. Italian infantry- men were literally mown down by Greek fire in a two hours abortive attack.
The announcer stated that the Italians were driven back leaving many dead on the battlefield
made a bayonet Greek forces charge and drove the Italians taking many considerabl
prisoners
quantity of war material.
The Italians suffered considerable losses beyond their lines
and both in men and materials. At least 30 Ita- lians were killed and about the same number wounded and 47 taken prisoner.
This action Was a blitz battle carried out with superb general- ship and great courage by troops who never previously had been in action
Two days later the Springboks crossed the border over which it had hitherto appeared impossible to move an army. In 48 hours engineers had cut a road through wilderness at the surprising speed of one mile an hour'
The two forces penetrated into Abyssima simultaneously. The task
of one was to capture and hold the fortifled position of El Gumu
- junction of the road from Gorai to Ganchiaro.
Sharp Fight
The second force was to cap- front. the Gorai ture and hold Both tasks were completed same day.
TREASURY
This desperate atteck by the Italians was launched when the still bad and Wis weather was supported by an artillery barrage.
Reuter.
DESTROYER
EXPANSION
SHOOTS DOWN OF INDIAN
ARMY
A DORNIER
The British destroy- er Vanity has shot down a German Dor- nier twin-engined bomber which was at- tempting to attack a convoy.
An Admiralty com- munique says a direct the hit was made on enemy aircraft which crashed into the sea. There
no were
sur- vivors. No damage or casualty was sustain- ed by the convoy or the destroyer.-Reu-
ter.
FINANCING TAMSHUI CHECK
OPERATION
Financial transactions involving nearly £90,000,-
Government
TO JAPANESE
THE JAPANESE TROOPS who landed at 000 between the United Aotow, a small village on the sandy beach of Kingdom and the Indian Govern- Bias Bay, have been checked at Tamshui, 10 ment were announced by miles inland from Bias Bay, on their drive to- the British Treasury yes- ward Waiyeung (Waichow). terday.
The expansion of the armed forces in India has resulted in such a demand for ex-Servicemen, thạt some 20,000 have already rejoined in various static roles in garrison com- panies and guards for bridges, stratégic rail- ways and prisoners of thus releasing younger men for field ser- vice.
war,
The flow of recruits for the re- gular army thus continues unin- terrupted and the expansion pro- grammes are proceeding to sche-
aule.
which
Many Territorial units were trained to a certain point are also being invited to join the re- gular army. lu one instance a whole battalion responded.
500
as
There is also increased enlist- Ing for the I.A.0.C. where young Indians are training responsible storemen (comba- tant) to replace
and British other ranks and to act as serves.
re-
Arms several
The output of the Small School is increasing by hundred Viceroy's commissioned officers and Indian N.C.O.'s.
A school is being established to train 1,200 unit clerks (comba-
artillery a year.
A part of the Japanese force pushed tant) for cavalry, infantry and Holders of five Indian Govern-northward from Tamshui on Wednesday to sell morning but were severely beaten and driven close of back. Fighting continues around Tamshui.
the ment
sterling loans are them to the British Treasury at the price ruling at the business yesterday.
The British Treasury will
them then hand
over to the Indian Government at the same price for cancellation.
from Japanese troops driving
Taken at four o'clock in the afternoon, Gorai was occupied an hour later after a sharp en gagement lasting 50 minutes. Gorai was taken by an infantry unit containing some
South uf Africa's youngest regiments form- ed since the outbreak of the war. After preliminary skirmishes,
Italians pounded the guns Trenches and rock-built pillboxes and the fort was then carried by swift, Intensive onslaughts.
Gorai is an extinct volcano con- war as a result of the large in-way, and
In British imports from taining sulphorous water which is creuse strategically important in an al-Indiu. most waterless zone.-Reuter.
VICEROY'S WAR FUND PAYMENTS
in
WITH SPONTANEOUS GIFTS POURING IN AT AN AVERAGE MONTHLY
RATE OF £127,000
to Shumchun Pingwu on the of the Canton- Chinese section Kowloon Railway have been for- east-ward after en- Payments will be made by the red to turn Indian Government out of large countering stiff Chinese resistance. moved to Wongkong, sterling balances which have beenThey first accumulated by the Indian Gov-six miles to the east of the rail-
since the outbreak of
ihence to Lungkong. north-east of Wongkong.
Both Pingwu and Wongkong are
ernment
The Regiment of Indian Artil- lery is being strengthened by ex- panding the output of the Artil- lery School.― Reuter.
DANGER HOVERING OVER GERMANY
"DANGER HOVERS. over everybody in Germany," declared: General Milch, Inspec- tor-General of the Luftwaffe, in a talk on the According to `a report from Sze-air defences of Germany, broadcast on Bre-
men radio last night,
Decision to do this was made now cleared of Japanese troops.
following the realisation that India's large sterling balances might properly be used for debt redemption, Reuter.
BENGHAZI IMPROVES SENTIMENT
wui, a Japanese attempt to land at Chanchuen in the Shuntak dis- trict on Tuesday morning Wax foiled by the Chinese, The invad- ers retreated at noon, abandoning many dead.-Central News,
10 Miles From Waichow
The "China Mail learns that Sentiment on the London Stock
guerilla THE VICEROY'S WAR PUR. Exchange, which early yesterday (harrassed by Chinese POSES FUND TOTALLED WELL was depressed on taxation uncer-units, the Japanese advancing on OVER £2,000,000 AT THE END tainties, sharply improved on news Walchow from Tamshui and other OF LAST YEAR.
General Milch added that because of this danger everyone who believed in the future of the German people must remain calmn and consider "how small is the total damage done by the English."
REJOICING
of the capture of Benghazi, Wides- directions have been compelled to IN ATHENS
The vanguard last night was
pread small losses generally were halt and await further reinforce- Of this total over £1,000,000 regained. Net gains were record-ments from Bias Buy and Shum was sent to England, including ed in several sections of indus- chun.
textiles and €668,000 for aircraft for the trials, including RA.F., £113,000 for the Lord tobacco Oils improved while gilt- Mayor of London's Air Raid Fund edged. and South African minings and £24,000 for the British Red generally were unchanged on the Cross Society.
day. Among foreign bonds Bel- gian 4 per cents. continued to ad- Payments made in India from Vance. Wall Street was dull and the Fund included £175,000 for easy-Reuter warplanes and £50,000 for ameni- ties for the troops.-Router,
· ROOSEVELT
MR. CHURCHILL TO MESSAGE DELIVERED
BROADCAST
of communication.
"Remember that the great, goul can be reached only if you clerich and do your bit in your teeth the great task. It is a great thing if a tired out worker who spends half the night in a shelter can clock in punctually the next day."
as a
General Milch added that ex- The news of the capture periences had shown that the of Benghazi was received ARP, service in Germany had still about 10. miles south or in Athens yesterday stood the test and was a model
for the rest of the world. Walchow where. small but afternoon with unbound-
Air attacks
on Germany had strongly-armed mobile. Chinese unite are carrying out continued joy and enthusiasm, achieved only a limited effect in
isolated cases and taken ous attacks on the Japanese lines states the Athens Radio.
whole effect was only negligible. That was due to the farsighted "It had been confidently explanning of ARF by Goering. pected that this important Italian General Milch concluded: "Our military and naval centre would confidence in he German fall to the British commanders' force is the best guarantee that strategy"" said the announcer, the enemy by lils air attacks will "but the rapidity of the advance never succeed in shaking our has taken the world, by surprise people's will to victory."-Reuter, almost as much as the Italians themselves.
Reinforcements with large sup- plles of war materials were dis embarked at Namtou and points in Bios Bay and these are now on their way to the front.
are
While consolidating their post- A personal letter from President A Reuter message from London Roosevelt was delivered to Gen- tions south of Walchow the Ju- states that Mr. Winston Chur-eral Chiang Kai-shek yesterday by panese troops are being protected. raiding chill, the Prime Minister, will Mr. Lauchlin Currie, President by aircraft which broadcast in the B.B.C. Home and Roosevelt's personal envoy to Chinese troop concentrations and Overgass services to-morrow at China, who landed in Chungking Walchow, which is gradually be
M.T
all from Hong Kong, Reuter, ing evacuated of civilians:
8.00 p.m
+
air
"A significant detail is the re- take.
"Our congratulations go to our lief with which the British libera tors were received by the Italian great ully. · Well donel colonists in "African towns they ter,