DESERT WARFARE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 173, 24 July 1941, Page 7

DESERT WARFARE

ITALIANS' TROUBLES

"Martyrdom ,, Accompanying Supply Organisation

U.P.A. and British Wireless. Rec. noon. LONDON, July 23. As indicating the Italians' difficulties in the Western Desert, the Milan newspaper "Corriere della Sera" says: "Words hardly express the martyrdom accompanying the organisation of our communications to Solium. The most terrible enemies are devilish sand ruts and the desert wind, which stifles everything destroying machines even more than men.

"As Tobruk remains in British hands, the Italians are only able to use a 40-mile caravan road from Aroma to El Adem. Vehicles are constantly liable to sink in the sand. Reinforcements and supplies are being taken to Libya in sailing ships, motor boats and small steamers which ply between coastal bases under constant machine-gun fire from British planes."

A Cairo Headquarters communique states: "Continuing their offensive action, one of our patrols penetrated to a considerable depth outside Tobruk on Monday night. There was no serious clash with the enemy, but a few casualties were inflicted at small loss to themselves."

When British and Imperial troops made a raid from Tobruk on the night of July 17-18 they killed 50 of the enemy and wounded another 100. Their own casualties were negligible.