Imperial Valley Press

Romans Take Over Strategic Post in Somaliland War

ROME, Aug. 13 (UP)-Italian forces attacking Berbera, capital and chief port of British Somaliland, have occupied Adadleh, at the foot of mountain ranges hedging their objective against the sea, an official communique claimed today.

General headquarters of the armed forces said that a battle for Berbera was raging between the mountain ranges in middle British Somaliland and the coast.

Dispatches placed the fighting, described as nearing a climax, in sun-scorched stretches 40 miles south of Berbera.

Italian units of "all kinds" were engaged, the communique said, and it claimed that the main body of British forces defending British Somaliland was now in action.

According to Italian general headquarters the battle for Berbera started at one p. m. Sunday when the Italians unleashed an attack that brought into action the infantry and air forces of both sides.

"The first clash with the main body of enemy forces which are defending British Somaliland occurred at one p. m. Aug. 11 with the attack by our troops and yesterday a series of furious combats occurred in the zone," the communique said.

"We have shot down one Bristol-Blenheim bomber and we found the body of the pilot, who was a captain.

"During the battle we lost one airplane.

"A squadron of our bombers hit fuel depots at Malta, causing large fires."

The British were said to have massed tens of thousands of natives and crack contingents of newly arrived Indian troops behind desert ramparts toward which the Italians were driving from three directions.