FLAME THROWERS USED AGAINST TOBRUK

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 108, 9 May 1941, Page 7

FLAME THROWERS USED AGAINST TOBRUK

ATTACKS FAIL

Deadly Shooting Of British

Artillery

Vnitrrl TT'-.-s A Union.—Copyright. Rec. 12.00 p.i.'. I.OXDOX, May 8. German ii>!\tntrymen with flame thrower mud 'J ;<n unsuccessful attempt to rli.-io'l.du the Australians from their du«<n:!s and underground concrete p 0..-:.-. ;■'• Tobruk, reports a British United Press correspondent inside the fortress. The alarm wa* given from a listening post near ihc front line, and the attackers wove driven off by heavy fire from the main defence posts. The Australians are full of praise for the Briti.-li artillery. "'The Germans will never yet through," said one Australian. "From the front posts we soc truck load after truck load of Germans Ru sky-high as they are caught in 'lie accurate fire of the British artillery." A communique issued at British headquarters in Cairo announces that in the Tobruk and Solium areas British patrols have been again active. Germans in Record Heat-wave The Hermans are preparing for their next assault on Tobruk in a record heat-wave, with the temperature well over 100 degrees and a sand-laden wind like a blast from a furnace. Metals get so hot that they blister the hands.

The British garrison has cool bungalows and Italian-built underground raid shelters, hut the Germans, who are not acclimatised, are exposed to the full blazing fury of the desert. There is not a tree for 50 miles. Tenhj become hothouses. The German tanks arc not air-conditioned, and the men faint in them. An officer from Tobruk said the way they had hurled back the last two attacks had given the Imperial troops additional confidence, and they were taking the initiative in whirlwind night patrol actions, in which they rob the Germans of machine-guns, rifles and all sorts of equipment. Enemy's Costly "Lesson The Germans learned to be) cautious after the Australians had let entire motQrised machine-gun units behind a spearhead of tanks get inside the defence, and then blew them to pieces from both sides, from the front and from behind. The garrison has plenty of food and water. It includes some of the hardiest troops of the Army of the Nile, notably some Australian sappers, who walked 300 miles in 16 days after escaping from the enemy, passing through his lines. The Imperial troops are constantly counter-attacking the Germans. These attacks, together with shelling and bombing, arc inflicting considerable losses on the enemy. The Germans bring up artillery and mortars at night, but the accuracy of their fire is unimpressive. Heavy R.A.F. Raids. Sn Libya heavy and successful raids have been carried out by British bombers, on military objectives at Bengasi and on landing grounds at Berka, Benina and Derna. At Berka fires and explosions were caused when a hangar was hit and two enemy aircraft on the ground were destroyed by fire. At Bengasi bombs hit the central breakwater and fell near ships. Fires and explosions were caused near the Customs house and the Cathedral Mole. At Benina buildings were hit and a number of bombs fell amongpenemy aircraft dispersed on the ground. Several fires were caused at Derna, one being a large one, in all probability being an enemy aircraft. A number of reconnaissance flights were made and fighters carried out patrols. The Gondar landing ground was attacked by Free French aircraft, and enemy positions in other areas were raided with success. In the Mediterranean, aircraft of the R.A.F. attacked an enemy convoy, obtaining direct hits on two merchant ship-;, one of which was left smoking, and both had bad lists. A Savoia SI was met and shot down into the .sea. Malta was raided by enemy aircraft on the night of May 6 and 7, when some damage was caused to Property. Two Junkers 88's were shot down by anti-aircraft fire, and one by night fighters. From all these operations all our aircraft returned safely. In _ Abyssinm further positions covering the approach from the north to Amba Alagi have been capered, and a number of prisoners taken . in all other areas operations are continuing satisfactorily.