MORE RAIDS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 July 1941, Page 5

MORE RAIDS

ON AXIS FORCES OUTSIDE TOBRUK HEAVY LOSSES INFLICTED ON ENEMY. ITALIAN MORALE BADLY SHAKEN. (British Official Wireless.) , RUGBY, July 19. A successful raid by the defenders of Tobruk against the surrounding Axis forces is mentioned in today’s Middle East communique, which states that during the early hours of Friday three simultaneous raids were carried out on a broad front against enemy positions facing the western perimeter of Tobruk. So successful was this large-scale patrol activity that for nearly three hours the enemy put down an extensive artillery barrage along the whole face of our perimeter. We • suffered little loss, but serious casualties were inflicted on the enemy. Two guns were destroyed and a number of prisoners taken. Throughout the operation the British and Indian troops which were engaged showed admirable initiative and determination. These continuous and deep penetrations by our patrols are evidently exercising a serious effect on the morale of the Axis forces holding positions outside our perimeter. In the frontier area patrol activity is continuing. Yesterday an enemy armoured fighting patrol was engaged and put to flight. An agency report from Cairo says that the raid was on a larger scale than previous raids. It is evident from the statements of Italian prisoners that these raids are having a devastating effect on the enemy’s morale. The number of prisoners captured was high in relation to the strength of the raiding parties, which consisted of British and Indian troops. Australians were responsible for most of the previous raids. PANZER CORPS REPORTED WITHDRAWAL FROM LIBYA. MOVE TO BULGAR-TURKISH FRONTIER. LONDON, July 20. The Moscow radio quotes the Turkish newspaper “Tan” as say- ' ing that General Rommel, together with his Africa Panzer Corps, has moved from Libya to the Bul-garian-Turkish frontier. The “Sunday Dispatch” believes it is significant that recent Cairo communiques have not mentioned brushes with Germans. RAID ON ALEXANDRIA I FEW CASUALTIES & LITTLE DAMAGE. LONDON, July 20. The Egyptian Minister of the Interior reports an air raid on Alexandria this morning. A few bombs were dropped. One person was killed and eleven injured. The damage done was only slight. CAIRO REPORT ARTILLERY ACTIVITY ON BOTH SIDES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.50 a.m.) RUGBY, July 20. A communique issued from Cairo headquarters states: “Apart from artillery activity on both sides, there is nothing important to report from the Tobruk area. In the frontier area, our patrols succeeded in recovering and towing in enemy armoured cars damaged in the action reported yesterday. “In Abyssinia there is nothing to report. “Our occupation of the northern area of Syria is continuing smoothly.”