WORK OF THE FLEET

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 January 1941, Page 5

WORK OF THE FLEET

ITALIAN DEFENCES SMASHED WHOLE SECTION OF CLIFF [ BROUGHT DOWN. DESTROYER'S DARING DASH I INTO BARDIA, (By Telegraph—Press. Association—Copyright i; LONDON. .January 4. The British Associated Press correspondent with the British Fleet says Australians attacked bardia on Friday immediately after the completion of a bombardment by the battle fleet which lasted from 5.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. The river gunboats Ladybird and Aphis (each of which has two six-inch guns) and the 7200-ton monitor Terror (whose main armament is two 15-inch guns), which had been Hinging shells at Bardia for over six weeks, opened the shelling before dawn and plastered the enemy bases for two hours till they were joined by the battle fleet.

The warships battered long lines of Italian tanks, armoured units and motor transport moving along a desert highway. The Italian batteries replied, their shells falling into the sea. Then a tremendous British salvo caused a whole section of the coastal cliff to crumble like an avalanche. Hundreds of tons: of sand and rock buried the Italian gunners, and their guns fired

no more. The Navy fired more than 300 tons of shells during the bombardment. It is revealed in London that a British destroyer captured an Italian ship in Bardia harbour just before the big attack began. Nine British prisoners were found aboard. A second Italian ship was sunk, A GREAT FACTOR BOMBARDMENT FOR THIRTY HOURS. BY NAVAL AND AIR FORCES. LONDON, January 5. Portlier details are supplied by C"i’I'espondents. One V. ho Milled oil one of the British battleships filter engaged m the shelling of Italian shoie naileries, said that they only learned that the attar’; wo-- ;<> begin after they trad left harbour, an announcement saying: At dawn the army is to .ittaci; Hardin. The Air Force and the Fleet All- Arm Will t'lVe support by .shelhng coastal batteries a-, well as preventing the enemy from retreating When the fleet arrived oil' Bardia, said thd e-jiTesp 1 indent, there was ample evidence that the land attari; had already begun. The R A F.. Un- Royal Navy and the .Army . ps'-.::-.; m a livrcc bombardment which. lasted for 30 hours Bro tain brought nt’.i the • mit.< somethm?: which the Ax; !■ •■■el c.mld : u • The eheei , n the Italians of this lici bombardment couki i-nlv be imagined, said the corn ; mb nt * The blasts from the warships ‘were like bring h;t • >•: the head v. ‘th a .■ aiuibag. Ai -ther ... re: ss ndent, described the weather a,-, extremely Inlier, Sailor.' Were dre red hke r. ’-kim.o; V. itil till hats. DESERT CAMPAIGN ITALIANS POOR RECORD - : * ( . \ t . ( ,f (Tri .it Hr;to h: v. :lh Anriy IV’ • iTn ’hr;’ Ul'* I‘j h.’it