1941-06-28 — Page 6

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THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 28, 1941.

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(By A Special Correspondent)

I WAS A WITNESS to the surrender of Asmara,

| capital of Eritrea and the oldest city in the Italian Empire, and I rode with the vanguard of. Imperial troops who occupied the town.

The surrender came with dramatic suddenness. The Imperial troops had expected a desperate resis- tance. Instead, they were surprised to see an emis- sary with a white flag hurrying towards their lines.

Long before dawn I had started in an Army truck to see the tanks go through in what every- one imagined would be merely the latest of our at- tacks on the Keren-Asmara road. An attack by In- dian infantry during the night had brought us to a road block outside the village of Teclesan, some 25 miles from the capital.

In the half-light I paused to watch the tank assault on the position. Suddenly ધ્ર civilian car came round a corner towards

US.

The White Flag

It was a small open brown Fiat. In it were two khaki-clad Italian officers and one British. On the left side of the windscreen was a large white flag. Bruno, of the Asmara Police, was driving to advanced divisional headquar- ters to arrange the bloodless sur- render of Asmara.

I waited in the village for the result. The scenery might have been that of a Cornish moor rolling hills with savage outcrops of stone grey, a watery light, and a high, cool breeze.

The sexton of the church was just sounding the bell for mass when the order came to move on. For the next 20 miles I might have been the centre of a Royal procession.

our line" I said. “Asmara is. an opon city. Nobody must res'g' the adversary when he enters."

The proclamation enforced a U pan, curfew, ordered shops and cafes to be closed, and forbade assemblies of more than three citizens, It also set up a force of armed civilian vigilantes to co- operate with the police and Bri- tons. in keeping order.

Meantime the Governor, Gen. Frusci, had left the city with as many troops as he could rally for a destination which is at present unknown,

Release Of Britons.

Just half an hour was taken over the discussions in the bus. The brigadier commanding the British advanced column inquir- ed about the, functioning of police the and municipal services, and whereabouts of British prisoners, who had to be surrendered at once. They were at Adi, 35 miles away.

IN

Anna Neagle and "Uncle" Roland Young ses trouble ap- proaching in the form of three A determined. glamour girls, howlingly.. funny scene from Mics. Neagle's current star. ring hit, "No, No, Nanette." Based, on the famous stage. musical comedy, it features Achard Carlson and Victor Mature, with a superb cast of Produced and favourites. directed by Herbert. Wilcox. Releared by RKO Radio. the King's.

2,659 CHURCHES BOMBED

Almost all along the road we met groups of Italian soldiers

The Italians were told they straggling back to be made pri- soners, with the weary

an air of must put their clocks back schoolboys released from a stiff hour to Sudan time, though the day's work or recumbant by the brigadier called it "B.B.C. time," arms and material roadside like picnickers waiting hand over to be

the cur- continue picked up. Soldiers all undestroyed, 'saluted us; some even cried "Viva." few, and hand over the barracks.

We were also greeted

They were informed that by

would try to the road- natives, who ran

to continue a postal Italy under British side to clap hands at our pas- service to sage, while women halled us censorship. with shri crica of "Lulubu." In more than one place entire villages massed by the road to hail us. Invariably they, were

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Surrender Terms

Over the horizon at last the tall

This 9

we

Damage To Eight Cathedrals

Ar

Hitherto unpublished

a.m. meeting was figures, strangely matter-of-fact. Every 1

giving what is now and then the sound of a thought to be a reason- distant explosion would bably accurate account, of heard through the windows,

and

mutinous

battalion

rabes and а red and blue

an Italian officer would damage done in air raids scarf who lifted up in blessing throw his hands in the air, to churches and other

"That's a diamond-patterned Ethiopian cross.

throwing grenades," he would church properties up to say. "We need your help the beginning of Febru- quickly."

But for the most part, Gen. ary, is given by the Min- Barile, latticed towers of Asmara radio Government, and the police chief,

Chief Secretary of the istry of Information loomed, and in a great amphi-Pasquinale, replied as briskly. ously damaged were:

Churches destroyed theatre of low, stony hills the and unemotionally, as the bri- negotiators confronted each other. gadier asked questions.. Our side of the road and the slopes besidę. it, were crammed with tanks, Bran carriers, lorries and troops.. On the Italian side there was a procession of three small cars and a big green-grey

'bus.

Before the negotiators stop- ped into the 'bus for their talks I got an outline of the events leading to the collapse from an

Comic Appeal

England

and seri-

Anglican.

282, Wales 5.

Free Churches. Baptist 89, Congregational: 123, Methodist 118. In the background Sat the Presbyterian Church of England bearded figure of the aged-Bishop 17, other Free Churches. 22. mak- Marineni. Once he spoke to im-ing a Free Church total of 369. plore the brigadier, to spare. Gen. Raman Catholic-58 Frusci's. wife,

To this the brigadier, replied. that it was not a British habit to molest conquered populations, let. alone women.

Making a total of 714. Churches damaged. lesă, seri- ously were:

30.

Anglican-England 1,070, Welės Italian officer. Eritrea had been having a hard And so we moved on past the Free Churches-Baptist 106, time. Foods were severely ration- rusty bins of the municipal dump Congregational 98, Methodist 448. ed and wine almost unobtainable. to the eucalyptus-lined avenues Presbyterian Church of England 'Bus services were rumming on of Asmara with their blocks of 18, other Free Churches 40, mak- charcoal But, even after Keren's modern flats. Dark-haired girls ing a total of 710 fall, optimists believed that resis- who pretended not to be looking tance might be prolonged for at us stared from behind every another month or two till, the saving rains came and the Ger- mans could help....

Then came news that our tanks had broken through and that an entire battalion of Savoy Grena- diers.sent from Addis hatt surren dered to a man. The RAF raids, were becoming unendurable.

Troops. Mutiny,

A week ago

pessimism was growing hourly deeper. Military and civil chiefs were in almost constant conference. Finally two Abyssinian · conscript battalions mutinied, in Asmara barracks, shot their officers and started -to loot the town..

Roman Catholic.-135.. Making a total of 1,945. closed window. Saluting police- Among cathedrals destroyed or men lined the road at 50-yard in-seriously damaged are Coventry tervals.

and St. Paul's (although the main As we reached the central {fabric stands unhurt). Cathedrals square a convoy of British fighters damaged but in most cases not roared down over the roofs to too seriously include those of salute the arrival of the Imperial Liverpool, Manchester, Shefeld, force.

Rochester, Canterbury, and West- minster Cathedral.

Many other church, properties Thon I witnessed the memor-have been destroyed or damaged. able scene outside the new red-including Westminster Abbey. brick Governor's-Palace.

Memorable. Sceno.

At expatly. 11 o'clock an Ita.... purple bougainvilleas and splash- llan, guard of honour In khaking fountains in the little public and topees sprang to the "Pro garden before the palace." sent," At the same moment the Up and down the broad, Via. rifle-bearing British brigadier alighted from Benito Mussolini the first of a procession of Italian policemen and civilian cinnamon and coffed-coloured vigilantes, shouted "Sinistra, army trucks,

Sinistra to puzzled cyclists, who Italian officers, standing on the wove the oddest patterns in, the. palace steps saluted him. Indian streets till they realised that un- soldiers, seated with rifle or der British occupation, the rule British tropps, despite the machine-gun in hand in a long of "Keep left" must apply. harolo resistance of our officers train of vehicles, gazed in The Imperial forces had arrived and men, have finally broken wonder at bricit-red. geraniums, in Asmara.

It was evident that safety lay only in surrender. A proclama- tion issued by the police chief was posted on every wall in the

Telephone 57341. Telophone 24704.

elty

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