1941-03-26 — Page 6

ADVANCE

ON

THE CHINA MAIL, MARCH 26, 1941.

HARRAR

Imperial Forces Now Within 20 Miles

GREEKS CELEBRATE

HER INDEPEN-

The Greeks yesterday in TRADING

DENCE TO HITLER AT VIEN-

NA,

GREAT

PATRIOTIC

OF ATHENS TO WATCH THE

LAY

every village and town and at every point of the CROWDS LINED THE STREETS battlefront celebrated the PREMIER, DR. KORIZIS, 121st anniversary of na-A WREATH ON THE TOMB OF tional independence in an THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER. atmosphere of exaltation|morning the King, accompanied worthy of the poet by his sister, Princess Catherine Byron's wonder.

In brilliant sunshine in the

Keren

Bombed

All Day

The R.A.F.

Thrusting Through The Marda Pass

THE BRITISH AND Imperial forces bombed thrusting westwards from Jijiga in Abyssinia in nurse's uniform, drove through enemy troop positions at through the newly-conquered Marda Pass

a

beflagged streets to the Cathedral, WHILE YUGOSLAVIA, FOR | from where

Keren thanksgiving ser.

ED HER NEUTRALITY, WAS and hospitals.-Reuter.

on Sunday from WHOM IN 1914 GREECE WAIV-| vice was broadcast to barracks dawn to dusk, dropping

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AND

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.A. S. WATSON & CO., LTD.

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KNOWN THE WORLD OVER FOR ITS PURITY.

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Tel. 20136,

HONG KONG STOCKED BY ALL OLUBB, HOTELS

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That night heavy British bom- bers swept over Tripolitania to attack shipping and the nero- drome at Tamel.

Damage is believed to have considerable although

been

see details.

Slight damage was done

have reached points within 20 miles of the im- portant town of Harrar.

Operations in this area are stated to be proceeding extremely well.

The capture of Harrar, which is without

cloud made it Impossible to strong fortifications, would seriously threaten by the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway and the town of Diredawa, on that railway, some miles north-west of Harrar.

enemy aircraft which raided Malta on Monday, records

R.A.F. communique issued in Cairo yesterday.--Router.

DRAMATIC STORY OF CAPTURE OF JIRABUB

CAPTURE OF JIRABUB, last Italian

General Dessimoni is believed to have a garrison of between 12,000 and 15,000 men at Harrar and Diredawa.

In Southern Abyssinia the threat to Addla Ababa 16 growing daily as the Imperial Forces continue to advance northward from Neghelli along tol the italian-built highway the capital.

Northwest of Addis Ababa, Abyssinian patriots are contain- ing some 18,000 Italian and na- tive troops at Debra Marcos.

Meanwhile, in Eritrea, fighting is going on with unabated fury.

Italian stronghold of Keren

stronghold in Libya, after one of the fiercest in the hills around the hand to hand battles ever fought in the heart of the desert, is described by the, Air Ministry news service.

L

Heavy Casualties British forces are now

approaching Harrar, the second largest town in Abyssinia, following action at the Marda Pass.

The fortress is the holy burial place of the ancient Şenussi, one-time leaders of the Libyan tribes, and it fell after only nine hours of fighting. It was taken by an Australian unit supported by R.A.F. aircraft, British continue successfully. artillery and armoured cars.

Principal offensive came from the south after an intense artil- lery barrage at dawn on March 21.

an

In southern Abyssinia, opera- tions to the north-west of Neghelli

Heavy casualties were again in- flicted on the Italian forces when British troops repulsed yet another feet to drop Eight bombs on a counter-attac. to the south-west stubborn Italian machine-gun of Keren. post.

There is nothing of Importance to report from Libya. Later the same pilot, although I South African bombers continu- Jiarabub is divided into three the target for a rain of bullets, ed their attacks on the Addis Aba- sectors, with the town in the dropped a message over a group ba-Djibouti railway-Reuter. centre. A fort to the north over- of Australians advising them that looks a vast plain to the south a dozen of their men had become where there is a series of rocky The men had signalled to the pilot isolated and were hard pressed.

the sun.

Enemy guns bombarding them were silenced by Australian anti- tank guns turned in their direc- the aircraft. tion at the position indicated by

knolls. These constituted the principal defences and bristled by flashing a small hand mirror in with guns of all calibres. In one warren-like stronghold alone were no fewer than 50 Breda and many small mountain calinon

The Italians had spared neither time nor labour to make these Ten gaps were made in the out- crags impregnable and the whole er wire in the southern sector. area was tunnelled and warrened with shelters.

Underground Arsenal Thousands of rounds of small

· 800 Prisoners

surmountable obstacle was con-

hoisted.

GREEK COURAGE

the

The following message from Mr. Eden, the For- eign Secretary, was read et a Queen's Hall (Lon- What at first appeared an in-don) meeting organised quered after a few hours battle by the Anglo-Hellenic aring ammunition and fleld gun by courageous fighting, and at League in connection with shells were secreted in a large 2.30 p.m. the white flag was andorground arsenal.

Greek Independence Day: Between these

Over 800 prisoners were taken fortified two

"I send from Cairo to positions stands a walled native tralians who finally captured the a message of greeting on the oc

-more than the number of Aus- Anglo-Hellenic League in London village dominated by a Senussi

stronghold. mosque.

casion of Independence Day.

I can bear witness to the in- domitable courage of the Greek people and to their determina- Twelve hours after the fall of dence at all costs. We are proud tion to preserve their indepen- the town five Heinkels flew over to serve beside such allies and we the area and dropped a number pledge ourselves to continue the of bombs harmlessly in the de struggle with them until final vic

tory is won.”

A young Australian sub altorn, with a platcon of bloked men, carried out the first; at- tack to the south, ・・・ He led hla men through a gap in the wire under withering enemy firs

They were Aghting in a

During the entire action no sup- port was given the besieged either Italian or German aircraft.

sort.

The Greek Minister, speaking

sandstorm which, while affer Despite the intensity of the bar at the same meeting emphasised ingTM some protection, Jam-rage neither the sacred mosque of Anglo-Greek ties of friendship med their rifles and blinded the Senussi nor the native village and common aspirations and said: them as they crawled towards suffered a scratch-British Wire-we Greeks, unlike perhaps other the Italian machine-gun nesta. less. Periods of close action followed when bayonets and hand grenades only, were used.

Hand To Hand

A CORRECTION

people, do not consider gratitude as a heavy and unpleasant burden that reminds one only of the obli- gation of a debt instead of the benefit derivedį.

On the contrary, we cultivate

By 10 o'clock the entire Ause case against: Bergeant Guild on hand it on from one generation tralian infantry forces were en- Monday credited the musslatant to another so that wo may keep gaged in hand to hand struggles, manager of the Repulse Bay Hotel that memory alving and strong

At the height of the baille a with saying that the defendant to remind us of our duty to daring BAK. pifat, fylog • signed chits to an amount of 981, ourselves worthy of IL- tish Lysander aircraft,, dived to 100. The actual figure ststed was $11; Wireless,