Evening star., 1941-05-12
Stronghold Of Gumsa
Taken in Ethiopia,
British Announce
81 Axis Prisoners Are
Reported Seized in
Surprise Tobruk Roid
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
CAIRO, Egypt, May 12.-Britisf
forces closing in on $4,000 italians
holding Amba Alaji Fortress, percheo
at an altitude of 5000 feet in North
ern Ethiopia, have occupied the
nearby stronghold of Gumsa, the
Near East command announced to-
day.
-Four big Fascist guns and guam
titles of war materials were de-
clared seized by Indian troops ad-
vancing south toward the mountain
citadel, which lies $50 miles north
east of Adds Ababa. A second
British column driving from the
north is making continued progress
the war bulletin said
Things picked up on the North
African front over the week end
the British command announced
with imperial forces at Tobruk cap
turing 80 Axis prisoners and in
f1icting casualties in a surprise raid
In the Salum sector, 80 miles far
ther east on the Egyptian border
the British reported capture of an
Axis tank in continuing haraSsing
raids on the German and Italian
positions.
Situation Quiets Down.
Following the capture of Rutba
station on the Iraq oil line, the
communique said the situation had
quieted down there. Action at
Habbaniyah Airdrome, so miles west
of Baghdad and at Basra, on the
Persian Gulf, was said to have been
lacking for several days.
On other Near East and Mediter-
ranean fronts the British announced
week end R. A. F. raids on Sicily
and across North Africa from Salum
to Tripoli.
British planes roared by daylight
yesterday over Sicily, aiming for
landing fields from which German
planes have attacked British ship
ping in the Mediterranean.
A communique declared heavy
damage was caused at bomber nests
at Catania and Comiso where r.
A. F. pilots were said to have ma
fleeing for shelter.
New Attack Indicated.
tAlthough the British made no
announcement of a follow-up of
their naval shelling last Thurs
day of the Axis Libyan base at
Bengasi, German accounts of
StUka operations during the
week end in the Mediterranean
area indicated British warships
pounded the Bengasi fortress
again Saturday night. The Ger
mans said two British cruisers
and three destroyers participant
inc in the new attack were dam
aged and beaten off by dive
bombers.
(The Italians, too claimed a
further toll from Britain's Medi-
terranean fleet. They declared
yesterday that in continuation of
an air and naval battle which
started last week two more Brit
ish cruisers suffered heavy hits
as they headed westward toward
Gibraltar.
CThe italians claimed last week
that two British battleships, two
cruisers, an aircraft carrier, q de-
stroyer and six merchant ships
we're damaged by bombs and tor
pedoes during the fighting. The
British Admiralty said at that
time none of the British warships
involved had been damagedD
The r. A. F. brought week end
raids on Axis bases at Derna, Jeda-
baya and Ell Gazala, Libya, to a cli-
max last night with a heavy attack
on Tripoli, Italys big North African
port from which the Axis counter
drive into Egypt was sprung.
Btmb hits on the power station
we're reported, along with destruc-
ton and fires on the waterfront.
Axis aircraft raided the Suez
Canal area Saturday night for the
third successive night, but the
Egyptian government said property
damage was slight.
. British patrols were said to have
inflicted casualties and taken
prisoners at Salum highwater mark
of the new Axis push into Egypt,
and at Tobruk, where British gar
rison is holding out under repeated
attacks.
(The Australian radio, in a
broadcast heard in New York.
reported today that Australians
among Axis-encircled British
forces at Tobruk thrust through
German flame-throwers and
tanks Saturday night in MOON
light attack to reduce the Axis
salient in the ports outer de-
fenseS.
CThree German tanks were de-
clared knocked out by West Aus
tralians using captured Italian
anti-tank gun.
CThe radio said several Axis
held strongpoints were captured
in the Australian thrust against
the shallow Axis advance lines
In the southwest corner of the
outer defenses.
(The broadcast, from Sydney,
was heard by c. B. S.
The British, who announced the
capture last week of the airfield
at Rutba, said that with British
occupation of the fort "the whole
of this important area is now under
our complete control"
communique yesterday said
communications centers and a
transport park at Mosul, across the
Tigris River from ancient Nineveh,
were bombed heavily.
Other air raids we're reported on
Iraq barracks at Amara, Diwaniya
Nasiriya and Qaraghan, along the
Tigris and Euphrates valleys.
tQAt kmnriran Mnther