1941-03-28 — Page 16

THE CHINA MAIL, MARCH 28, 1941.

KEREN AND HARRAR CAPTURED

Italy's Last Stronghold In Africa Two Dramatic GAS WAR Successes Herald WOULD BRING End Of Campaign

TWO TREMENDOUS NEW SUCCESSES BY THE BRITISH AND IMPERIAL ARMIES IN AFRICA WERE ANNOUNCED OFFICIALLY IN CAIRO LAST NIGHT.

The first is the capture of the mountain fortress of Keren, in Eritrea, which has been beleaguered for the past seven weeks and the fall of which no doubt seals the fate of Eritrea, if not also Abys- sinia.

news

comes second

Hotfooted on this news

- the capture of Harrar, second largest town,in Abyssinia.

While part of the Imperial army was sweeping up to grab Mussolini's eagle nest in Eritrea, another force was rushing forward with typical Wavell blitz speed into the heart of Abyssinia.

Only a

few days ago fighting, after heavy fighting for nearly a was still taking place at Marda fortnight under the most difficult Pass, which barred the route to physical conditions of climate and Harrar. To-day this town is in country, British and Indian British hands.

troops, admirably supported One more prize remain to the R.A.F.. again defeated il be taken before +1 Duce dis- numerically superior enemy force Appears from East Africa for and occupied Keren.

good-Addis Ababa,

by

on which "Abyssinia—Harrar is in Our

British columns are advancing from all directions.

Tough Obstacle

The capture

Horrar was

of Keren and announced in

communique saying: "Eritrea

а

hands,"

With the fall of Keren

the headquarters of Mussolini's oldest colony is in British hands.

East African Empire.

It was the last barrier to the key base of Asmara, the Eritrean capital, 75 miles along the rail- way to the east, and of Massawa. valuable Eritrean port.

Only Stand

It has been the only vital Ita- lian position to make any pro- longed stand against the swift

hammer-like blows of the

Bri-

tish and Imperial forces in

Africa,

For weeks the armies of the Sudan have prepared, waiting

on the last stretch of the Eri- trean plain with an apparently unsurmountable obstacle be. fore them.

A ridge of solid rock 1,000 feet high confronted them-a ridge whose sheer-faced precipices The British forces have found offered magnificent defence post- tions and were crowned by a series of arrow-head peaks.

this mountain fortress one of the toughest obstacles in the whole campaign against Italy's

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The British Govern- ment is taking steps to ensure that the whole po-. pulation is in a full state of preparedness against gas attacks.

The Home Secretary, Mr. Her- bert Morrison, assured the Com-

mons yesterday that Britain will in no circumstances be the first to use gas but the Germans' record showed they would stop at nothing.

Falls

WAVE OF ENTHUSIASM

SWEEPS THE BALKANS

(Continued from Page 11.

Political" circles in Washing- ton are of opinion that the Russian support of Turkey... plus the Yugoslav revolt, will, with the fighting spirit of the Greek and British troops the Balkans, present an array of strength In the Balkans formidable enough, to make Hitler pause before launching a large-scale offensive,

In addition, the change in the Yugoslav. situation will prove a fatal blow to the Italian forces in Albania!-Reuter.

that

statement meant Britain would retaliate if the enemy used it first, Mr. Morrison invited the House to draw their own con-

In reply to a question whether clusions from his words.--Reuter.

PROMINENT ROLE OF R.A.F. IN KEREN'S FALL

THE PROMINENT PART played by R.A.F. and South African aircraft in the capture of Keren is described in an R.A.F. communique issued in Cairo yesterday.

After remarking that the fall of the stronghold followed "some of the fiercest enemy opposition en- countered in the East African campaign," the com- munique says that during the past week enemy posi- tions in the hills around this Italian stronghold had been heavily and persistently bombed.

than

them engaged and destroyed two Fiat fighters.

Nearly 40 tons of borbs were IS AGAINST THIS dropped in this area during the FORMIDABLE FASHIONED last four days and more

The Air Force's contribution to BUTTRESS OF ROCK THAT 120 in the last 12 days.

the successful operations against THE EMPIRE FORCES HAVE Our aircraft have been over Keren is remarkable in view of STRUCK ONE OF THEIR MOST the target most of these days the difficult flying conditions. The RESOUNDING BLOWS AS MILI- from morning till night.

town itself is surrounded by TARY EXPERTS RECOGNISED Fighter aircraft of the South tiers of mountains between 6,000 THE PLACE AS ONE OF THE

African Air Force have also and 7,000 feet high and it was MOST NATURALLY IMPREGN-

been active in the area and on amongst these that our aircraft ABLE FORTRESSES OF THE Wednesday, ́not many hours had to seek out and destroy

REUTER.

before the town fell, two of enemy positions. Reuter.

WAR.

Every Summit

Italy's most formidable ordnance guarded every summit, machine- gun nests abounded and strong points were cunningly arranged.

The military spokesman In Cairo said last "night that one- third of the forces in Musso- lini's East African Empire con- ́cisting of some 60,000 to 70,000 troops--were estimated to .be -defending Kören.

Their defeat might well lead to a general ́erumbling of.

the

forces at the disposal of the Duke of Aosta, Viceroy of Abyssinia.

Tremendous Blow

The fall of Keren, the spokes- man added," would be a tremen- dous blow to Kallan morale and prestige.

It would be possible to de- fend equally formidable peaks -every five miles between Keren and Addia Ababa, but thin was unlikely ainés Kéran had beenItaly's military show- plson.

HOPES ARE NOW RUNNING HIGH IN CAIRO THAT MUSSO- LINI'S BATTERED ARMIES WILL BE UNABLE TO HOLD OUT UNTIL THE RAINS. REUTER.

Brigade H.Q. Taken

་

Before the fall of Keren, our troops beat off several counter- attacks and captured a number of prisoners, including a complete Brigade. Headquarters, 4

Enemy casualties during the last forty-eight hours were heavier than before,”

In Abyssinia, African and Bel- gian troops, in cooperation, have captured Gambela, thus clearing the Baro salient (Western Abys- sinta), of enemy forcia APART

In Southern Abyssinla, our pur- suit of the retreating Italian forces la continuing in all sectors. ----- British Wireless.

STOP PRESS

The prefix "special" to telegrama ta used by the ""Sunday. Heráld” and “China. Mall" 'to indicats, news, which ← is strictly copyright under the provi sions of the Telecommunications Or- dinance, 1988, and may not, be reprint. led 'under. „any (circumständes, either wholly or in part, without prior are rangement.

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