DASHING ATTACK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 October 1941, Page 6

DASHING ATTACK

MADE BY BRITISH PATROL AT TOBRUK

ITALIAN POST TAKEN.

ENEMY TANKS EVADE ACTION.

(British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.40 a.m.) RUGBY, October 15. A Cairo headquarters communique states: “Early yesterday morning, a British patrol, operating with great dash, attacked an enemy post facing the south-east-ern sector of pur defences. After the Italian garrison of the post had sustained casualties, the remaining fourteen surrendered.

“Throughout the night of October 13, enemy tanks were several times heard moving about, but daylight found them outside the range of artillery fire. “In the frontier area, our patrols freely scoured the area between ourselves and the enemy without making contact.” • AIR RAIDING TARGETS FOUND IN MANY AREAS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.40 a.m.) RUGBBY, October 15. A R.A.F. Middle East communique states: “R.A.F. heavy bombers raided Benghazi and Tripoli on the night of October 13. At Benghazi the harbour was the principal objective and a large fire broke out between the Railway Workshops and the Wireless Station. At Tripoli, many hits were obtained on the Spanish Fort. Three large ships in the harbour were also bombed, but the results could not be observed. Yesterday an enemy landing-ground north of Derna-Tobruk Road was raided.

“Enemy fighters which approached Malta on the night of October 13 were engaged by our fighters and the ground defences, one Macci 200 being shot down into the sea and others damaged. “Naval aircraft bombed aerodromes at Castel Vetrano, causing three violent explosions. “In the Central Mediterranean, naval aircraft attacked an enemy convoy. Two bits were obtained on a medium-sized merchantman which was set on fire and later seen to be low clown in the water. An escorting destroyer was observed picking up survivors from the sea.

“From these and other operations one of our planes is missing.”

CAUGHT & BLASTED ENEMY TRANSPORT COLUMN. LORRIES LEFT IN SMOKING RUIN. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 12.35 p.m.) RUGBY, October 15. Further news of R.A.F. activities in the Middle East is given in the » following Air Ministry bulletin: “An enemy convoy trundling eastwards towards Mengnazi on October 13, had a surprise visit from R.A.F. bombers. The pilots were following the main coast at an extremely low level when they sighted a string of lorries and trailers. “Within a few seconds, they were among them and as they dropped bombs on the vehicles, troops and drivers were seen leaping to the ground, making a frenzied search for cover. When the bombs exploded, three pet-rol-laden tankers immediately burst into flames and clouds of black smoke poured skywards. Other lorries were soon splintering as bomb fragments riddled them, and through the dust and debris thrown up by bomb bursts, another bomb was seen to have exploded among a group of enemy soldiers huddled by the roadside. The bombers turned, came back and raked the smoking column of lorries and the troops with machine-gun fire. As the bombers turned back across the sea, columns of smoke marked the scene of confusion and havoc which they had left behind them.”