AUSTRALIAN VALOUR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 January 1941, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN VALOUR

IN FINAL INFANTRY ASSAULT description of fierce CONFLICT. TRIBUTE TO BRITISH TANKS. (By Telegraph—Prrw Association -Copyrigiiti LONDON. January 0. The British victory at Bardia, in which the Australians played so distinguished a part, was a triumph of staff work and military gallantry against strong defences These defences took four years to build, and into them Italian engineers put all their technical skill and the use of the most modern material. The long-vaunted defences were first battered into silence, and the British tanks were then withdrawn to make way for the final assault by the infantry. An Australian veteran if the Great War who took part in the assault on Bardia described the action as much fiercer that! anything he had encountered in (lie last war. He described the withering fire which was met with, t.nd he paid a tribute to the British tanks, and said: “If they had not been there I don't know where we would have been." Many stories an- told of the l.ct-mi. of the Australians arid them high morale. A popular expression was: "What time du the pubs close in Bardia” We must get in before closing time.” .Australians later marched through Bardin ringing, We're idl to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard <-f 0,“THOSE LONG LADS’’ AUSTRALIANS AT BARDIA. AMERICAN PAPER'S COMMENT, (Received Thte Dav, fl ,'lO a :n • NEW YORK, January *> Tie- Y>:>; SmC .■<!;•, ria! say: ’Th.>s<- p-ug p vM-. had gone a h.ng way t,» arriv-- at th.out .k.of Bard..a and a, .-re < •_ g . mg to be domed ‘i ■■ ; mA f log the rest of tltc journey.”