Evening star., 1941-02-21
British in SomaIiIand
Force New Crossinq
OF Juba River
5000 ItoIions Reported
Captured in Month on
Eritreun Front
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
CAIRO, Egypt, Feb. 2l.-British
| general headquarters announced to-
day its forces invading Italian So
maitland had forced q new crossing
of the Juba River north of the
original bridgehead.
The Juba River had been the
chief line of Italian resistance to
the British offensive into this south
ernmost OF Italy's East African
holdings.
The communique also announced
capture OF 5576 Italian colonial
troops and 745 Italian regulars on
the Eritrean front in the last
month
IN addition many prisoners have
been taken in the areas of the Blue
Nile, the Upper Nile and In the Col
JAM" the communique said. These
areas are in Ethiopia.
Italian Tanks Seized.
One hundred and seven medium
Italian tanks were reported cap
tured or destroyed in the recent
battle south of Bengasi, in Libya-
hundreds Of miles northwest of the
East African front. Little activity
has been reported lately from Libya.
The inventory of captured ma
terial still Is unfinished.
Our troops have again success
fully forged the River Juba north
of the original crossing" the COM
munique said of the Somaliland Of
| fensive.
The river traverses the western
end Of Italian Somaliland from
north to south, the mouth at Chisi-
maio. which now is in British hands.
The first crossing took place near
Gelib, north Of Chisimaio
Operations from both of the
bridgeheads are developing salts
factorily."
Far-reaching decision On British
war policy were forecast as For
eign Secretary Anthony Eden and
Gen. Sir John Dill, chief Of the i'm
perial general staff, began a first
hand survey of the situation in the
Near East.
oOhl oLloAllCh IllC
greatest significance to the arrival
of the two British leaders here yes
terday when developments in both
the Balkans and Africa appear to be
nearing a crusial stage.
The presence Of the British Of
ficials all but overshadowed reports
of current activities on the African
I'warfronts.
Today's r. A. F. communique was
| confined to the announcement that
continued support was being given
land forces on the various fronts.
the report of a raid on Massaua
chief port of Eritrea. and acknowl-
edgment Of another axis air attack
on British-occupied Bensasi in
| Libya.
One of the Bengasi raiders was
reported shot down in flames by
anti-aircraft fire and its entire crew
killed and the loss Of one British
| plane was acknowledged At Mas
Saua a number of grounded Italian
| planes were said to have been dam
! aged.
! British circles were quick TO point
out that Mr.. Eden and Sir John al
ready were en- route TO Cairo when
the Turkish Bulgarian non-sggres-
sion pact was announced and that
their trip therefore could not be
ascribed to British anxiety on that
score.
1t was generally agreed, however,
Mr.. Eden had been sent to gather up
the threads of British diplomacy in
! the Balkans and the Near East and
that the pact might have an impor-
tant bearing on his task.
That Mr.. Eden was accompanied
by Sir John was taken by observers
to indicate that vital military as well
as diplomatic issues are involved.
Sir John, neutral sources be-
lieved, would tell the Greeks and
Turks just what help Britain could
give them in event Germany at
tempted to strike at Greece through
Bulgaria-and also what aid may be
expected from the United States.
Every assurance was reported 10