New Push

When the British brought their fierce, bearded Sikh troops into the African campaign they found themselves up against a tough problem. Army regulations demand that every British infantryman be issued a steel helmet. But the Sikhs insist on wearing turbans, over which no steel helmet can fit. Finally, the Sikhs worked out an agreement with their British officers, accepted the helmets. Last week as they edged ahead through central Eritrea each Sikh wore a turban on his head, obediently dangled a British helmet from his haversack.

The going was getting tougher by now. The Italians were well entrenched in the rugged 6,000-foot Cheren plateau, difficult country for mechanized troops. Best British bet seemed to be fresh troops driving down the Red Sea coast from the north, which threatened to cut off the defenders on the plateau or force their retreat. When Cheren fell the Italians would be in a fair way to losing Eritrea, their oldest colony.

Biggest British gains of the week in East Africa came 1,150 miles south of Cheren in Italian Somaliland. South African forces covered 70 miles in two days, pushed into Chisimaio on the tepid Indian Ocean. Supported by the Royal Navy and the South African Air Force, these blistered fighters were all set to start up the 250-mile coastal road to the capital city of Magadiscio.

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