AUSTRALIAN TROOPS PENETRATE DEFENCES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 January 1941, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN TROOPS PENETRATE DEFENCES

Heavy Air Force Attacks on Enemy Bases SHIPPING AND OTHER OBJECTIVES BOMBED AT TRIPOLI ALL PLANES RETURN SAFELY FROM EXTENDED OPERATIONS The British Imperial forces in the Mediterranean area have started the New Year with particularly heavy attacks on the Italians, a 8.8. C. broadcast states. Australian forces have launched an assault on the defences of Bardia and last evening Royal Air Force headquarters in the Middle East announced that very heavy raids had been made on Tripoli and Bardia, and across the Mediterranean, on the enemy base of Elbasan. in Albania. From the whole series of operations all the British aircraft engaged returned safelyA communique issued by British General Headquarters m \. Cairo states that yesterday morning, Australian forces, sup- * ported by tanks, penetrated a section of the defences of Bardia. Operations are proceeding. Heavy and successful air raids have been made on shipping and other objectives at Tripoli and Bardia has been subjected to heavy raids in which fires were started among stores and buildings. On Wednesday two heavy raids were made by the R.A.F. on shipping in Tripoli Harbour, when attacks w'ere made on a jetty and five cruisers moored alongside, The Customs jetty and one ship were hit in the first raid and in the second attack, hits on the jetty caused five fires and three explosions, possibly on ships alongside. It was announced in London yesterday that the reason for the cut in the British meat ration, from Is lOd worth to Is 6d worth per head per week, is that some of the meat carrying ships are required to convey supplies to Libya. The Food Minister, Lord Woolton, said that Britain was deliberately sacrificing meat at home for munitions in Libya. “We are attacking the enemy,’’ he added.