Guns Pound Bardia Before Assault

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 308, 28 December 1940, Page 7

Guns Pound Bardia Before Assault

BRITISH MASSING Heavy Tanks Will Lead Attack On Positions (United Press Association.—Copyright.— Reed. 1.30 p.m.) LONDON. December 27. British guns are pounding the Italian defences at Bardia in preparation for the final assault. Two 1 3in guns manned by naval gunners are supporting the field artillery, and a continuous stream of heavy tanks and guns is moving up. An army officer said to the correspondent of die Associated Press of Great Britain: "We could go in and take Bardia now. but that would probably cost a good many lives, so we are keeping on hammering at them. When we get more tanks up we will get them out of their holes without much trouble." An earlier message stated that British and Dominion troops round Bardia were being reinforced and were taking up positions for an attack. The shelling of Bardia was increasing in intensity. The Ankara radio says that a British break through the Bardia defences will involve continuous and accurate fire. Heavy tank units are now being concentrated round the town. The Italian communique reports that artillery and patrol action continues on both sides in the Libyan frontier zone. The Italian Air Force was very active and bombed ships in the bay of an advanced enemy base and also enemy batteries and mechanised forces. Thirty-one Italian aircraft, comprising ten over Greece and Z I over the African fronts, were definitely destroyed by the R A.F in the week ending on December 25. compared with the loss of seven British machines, says a. British Official Wireless message. 1 he total number of Italian planes destroyed to date is 416. com. pared with 75 British. Aircraft of a Royal Australian Air Force squadron shot down £1 t iS-jjW?™ m WeßteTO D ««rt yesterday, states the K.A.I- Middle East communique. Four other enemy aircraft were severely damaged by the squadron, but their destruction is not confirmed. A low-level attack was made on Tuesday on the enemy landing ground at Gazala. all the bombs falling in the target area. Numerous reconnaissance flights were made on Christmas Uay, and fighter patrols were active. During a reconnaissance flight over Naples R.AF. aircraft theTea 1 *" ""* bomber *** Aot * do *» » flame, into