RING OF STEEL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 December 1940, Page 6

RING OF STEEL

DRAWING TIGHTER ROUND BARDIA GARRISON COMPLETELY TRAPPED. FLEET & R.A.F. HELPING LAND ARTILLERY. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) (Received This Day, N00n..) LONDON, December 29. A steel ring is steadily drawing tighter around Bardia, says the “Sunday Express’’ Cairo correspondent. The garrison of 20,000 men is completely trapped and must surrender or be slaughtered. The British Army blocks the land routes out of the town and the Fleet blocks the sea entrances. Nightly the Fleet pours in highexplosives and fire bombs and the harbour district and waterfront are now a shambles. Added to all this is the continuous bombing of the R.A.F. Signor Ansaldo declared in Rome that Bardia was not a bastion, as the British claimed. Its desperate resistance was explained by reasons of morale and because the soldiers were irritated by enemy boasting after the capture of Sidi Barrani. The Italians, he says, also regard , the port as a prop during fluctuations in the fortunes of war in Libya. An Italian communique reports increased artillery patrol activity on the Bardia front and claims that lightning Italian columns, manoeuvring in cooperation with the Air Force, destroyed some British armoured cars. The communique says: “The enemy bombed some Italian localities in Ethiopia.”

RAIDS ON TOBRUK FIRES STARTED IN ENEMY BASE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.45 a.m.) RUGBY. December 29. An R.A.F. communique issued in Cairo states: “On the night of December 26 several R.A.F. aircraft carried out raids on Tobruk. Fires were started, but the full extent of the damage was not observed. “Our fighters have maintained active offensive patrols, during one of which a large formation of enemy bombers, escorted by fighters, was encountered. In the ensuing engagement, one 579 and one CR32 were shot down. One CR42 probably was destroyed. Four other S79’s were damaged and may not have reached their base. “Solium was bombed by the enemy, but only slight damage was caused.”