TOBRUK DEFENDERS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 8, 21 October 1941, Page 8

TOBRUK DEFENDERS.

THE GOOD HEALTH. A COOL YOUNG OFFICER. CAIRO, October 2. One of the most remarkable things about the long Mefence of Tobruk is the excellent health of its garrison. Medical officers state that the general health is very satisfactory, in spite of the hard living conditions and lack of variety in food, which mainly, is tinned. Doctors attribute this freedom from illness to three main factors,: (1) the •desert is a healthy place. (2) the troops are in magnificent physical condition. (3) the men’s diet includes vitamins in tablet form to replace those normally contained in such unobtainable things as fruit and green vegetables. The men themselves, look hard and fit. They have become accustomed to such ever-present discomforts as strictly-rationed highly-chlorinated water, choking dust, sandstorms, heat, flies and scorpions. Some of the men keep birds,, which are very tame, in their dugouts and pill-boxes to keep down the flies. Others have made pets of big opos-sum-tailed desert rats, which are also very tame. The men show in the highest measure the Australian genius for making the best of things. The Australians are ceaselessly maintaining day and night patrols, harassing the enemy, destroying strong points, and capturing prisoners. British artillery, for which the enemy has learned a healthy respect, continues to hammer enemy positions and break up their patrols and working parties. A section of German tanks surrounded a strong post manned by a small force of Australians and circled round within close range. A German officer called out in excellent English: “Surrender! You are completely cut off.” The young Australian officer commanding the post replied: “Go to hell,” whereupon the tanks opened up very heavy fire almost at pointblank range. The Australian officer telephoned to the British battery in suppoi’t and told them cooly: “Range your guns on my post. Never mind us, but get those tanks.” The Australians then lay flat while their own guns pounded their position.

Their self-sacrifice and courage were rewarded. The guns knocked out two tanks and drove off the others.