London, Feb. 21.
(THE capture of Mego, southern Abyssinia town, by South African troops yesterda; is regarded in military circles here as of importance in the British offensive campaign in this area.
Mega is a fai ized town 6,500 feet above sea level and 30 miles inside the Abyssinian horde from Kenya, It has a telegraph station and a hospital, and is at the head of an important road' capable of carrying motor transport.
The road leads south-east towards Moyale and northwards to Addis Ababa.
Over 600 prisoners, mostly Europeans, were taken by the South Africans in the capture of the to Somewhat belatedly the - German official news agency is now endeavuring to give a more flattering pic ture of Italian resistance in Libya.
'According to information gathered from British prisoners captured in North Africa, the agency says, Italian guns at Bardia had a "murderous effect on the enemy.'
ut of over 2.000 British attackers, the German report added, only about 100 came out unscathed, the remainder being "mowed down by shrapnel, for decimated by the Italian machine guns Two wounded natives. the agency declares, are now being cared for in Egypt, and thousands of wounded Australians have been sent (0 Pales~ tine, where all hospitals are already crowded out.
Tt will be recalled that the British losses have already been made clear by a communique issued from the British Headquarters in Cairo on Jan, 8. "The total British and Australian casualties incurred in the capture of Bardia were less than 400." the communique stated—Reuter. down by British fighters; one British fighter is missing but the pilot is sate, While today's reports of the war indicate that the main fighting is going fon in Tlallan Somaliland, the ships fof the Mediterranean Fleet are contesting a silent but important struggle along the Libyan coast, and Free French forces are active in Southern Libya.
The Navy is now keeping a steady. stream of men and materials moving is spite of all the German efforts to interfere from the alr, Captured Htallan ports are steadily beng prepared for use by the British forces, and the Germans are making a series of raids in an effort to in" terrupt this work.
In the Kufra oasis in the heart of the Libyan desert, Free French-Forces engaged in an operation against the Ballan garrison. Sharp fighting took place between mechanized units, and after a day of battle the Italians retreated, leaving prisoners and war material in the hands of the Free French—Reuter.
Gains Extended Order of the Day Offensive reconnaissances were carried out by other squadrons over Mega-and Moyale in Abyssinia and Gellb in the Juba river area, and Maun shelters near, Moyale wore bombed, the communique concludes. Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.