TOBRUK FIGHTING

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 103, 3 May 1941, Page 9

TOBRUK FIGHTING

HEAVY ENEMY ATTACK British Troops' Smashing Counter. i I Rec. 2 p.m. RUGBY, May 2. A communique from British head-' quarters in the Middle East confirms that fighting is proceeding at Tobruk. • Throughout yesterday the enemy continued to attack the outer defences of Tobruk. In one sector British troops counter-attacked with such success that the enemy was driven back, losing 11 tanks and sustaining many casualties. ! The attack on Tobruk. first men- ' tioned in yesterday's communique. : took place at night, when tanks pene- ! trated the south-west of the outer i perimeter of the defences. This j would not be a particularly difficult I operation, because the outer defences I probably consist of small posts with barbed wire between. Early reports suggested that the enemy was meeting vigorous resist- . ance from the inner forts at Tobruk. | In other sectors fighting is still ; proceeding. British patrols have again been active in the Solium area, where the enemy is making preparations for a short advance. Further progress has been made in Abyssinia with the repair of roads, enabling British forces to increase their pressure on enemy positions covering Ambalgi. Our troops occupied Behrdur and Debub. Operations continue to progress successfully in the southern areas. An Admiralty communique says the Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet reports that our naval units carried out a successful I bombardment of enemy troops and | supplies in the El Gazala area of i Libya.