SUBSTANTIAL GAIN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 June 1941, Page 5

SUBSTANTIAL GAIN

ENEMY SALIENT REDUCED AT TOBRUK TWELVE VEHICLES DESTROYED FURTHER EAST. INDIAN TROOPS IN EAST AFRICA. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. June 14. In Libya as the result of successful operations on the night of June 12 our troops in Tobruk made a substantial penetration into the salient held by the enemy in the outer defences of the perimeter, improving our position thereby, reports a communique from Cairo headquarters. In the area between Solium and Tobruk our mobile forces intercepted an enemy convoy, destroying 12 vehicles. Tn Abyssinia the operations by a Belgian contingent in the Togi area and by Imperial forces in the Jimma area are proceeding satisfactorily. It is estimated that 20,000 Italians are still holding out at Jimma, but they are not expected to resist much longer. It is authoritatively stated in London that among the forces which captured Assab, the last Italian Red Sea port, was a Punjab regiment. Besides Indian cavalry, eight regiments of the Indian army are named by the War Office as having taken part in the recent operations in East Africa. They are the Punjab Regiment, Sikh Regiment, Frontier Force Regiment, Frontier Force Rifles, Rajputana Rifles, Royal Garwhal Rifles, Mahratta Light Infantry and Batuclv Regiment. Colonial Forces which took part in the same campaign are given as the Sudan Defence Force. King's African Rifles, Gold Coast R.egiment and Nigeria Regiment, while Cypriot and Palestinian units fought in Greece.

According to agency messages from Cairo, the operations at Tobruk are described as having been purely local and designed to remove an uncomfortable bulge. This was successfully effected.

SHINING SYMBOL

OF BRITISH DOGGEDNESS. THE DEFENCE OF TOBRUK. NEW YORK. June 14. Tobruk still stands as a shining symbol of British doggedness, says the “New York Times." The fort has been held by the heroic resistance of a single division of Australians, reinforced by Indians. It has withstood the longest siege of the war. Ihe fighting is bound to become fiercer and fiercer because Tobruk is one of the key points of power in the Mod iter run can. A Zurich message says Captain Ciremar. one of Germany’s foremost tank brigade leaders, was killed during an Australian counter-attack at Tobruk. ______