STEADY ADVANCES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 111, 13 May 1941, Page 7

STEADY ADVANCES

AFRICAN CAMPAIGN

Definite Successes On All Fronts British Official Wireless. Rec. 1.30 p.m. RUGBY, May 12. A Cairo communique states: "Our mechanised patrols at Tobruk surprised a considerable party of the enemy, inflicting casualties and capturing 32 prisoners.

'"In the Solium area our patrols yesterday continued their harassing tactics and captured an enemy tank, motor and anti-tank units.

"Advancing from the north of Amba Alagi, the Indian troops again made important progress, capturing Gumsa and taking four pack-guns together with quantities of other war material. Meanwhile, South African troops are continuing their advance northwards on Amba Alagi. and operations in the southern areas are proceeding well.*'

The situation in Iraq has become more stabilised, according to an R.A.F. Middle East communique, which stated that air activity over Cyrenaica was more pronounced. Yesterday heavy raids were made on Bengasi, where ships were attacked and three large fires were started at Mols. At Benina. three Junkers 52 and another aircraft were set on fire, while at Berka direct hits were obtained on buildings to the north-west of the landing ground. El Gazala was also raided, and at Derna a landing ground, on which a number of enemy aircraft were dispersed, was attacked and motor transport in the vicinity was bombed and machine-gunned. Considerable damage was caused to the enemy mechanised units in various other places between Tobruk and Derna. One Messerschmitt 109 was attacked and destroyed. The situation in Iraq is more stabilised, and all is quiet at Habbaniyah and Basra. Our aircraft has been engaged on punitive operations against the rebels in most of the districts where they were observed. The South African Air Force of the Rhodesian Squadron and the R.A.F. continued to harass the Italians in Abyssinia at Gimma. Sciasoimanna, Uaders and at AlagL From all the operations under review one of our aircraft is mi^inp