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Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 9, 6 October 1941, Page 8

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NORTH AFRICA Raids From Tobruk BOMBS ON BENGHAZI AND BARDIA (British Official Wireless.) (Received October 5, 7.40 p.m.) RUGBY, October 4. The communique issued today in Cairo by British General Headquarteis in the Middle East states that at Tobruk, under cover of artillery fire. Imperial patrols yesterday carried out several successful raids. In the eastern sector the enemy was forced to evacuate strong points while in another sector. our patrols destroyed enemy dumps of ammunition. In other" areas considerable casualties were also inflicted on the enemy. The enemy retaliated later with heavy machine-gun fire, but this was rapidly silenced by our artillery and mortars. In the frontier area enemy patrols were engaged and driven back. On Wednesday night there was air and artillery activity by the enemy in North Africa, and the British shelled enemy positions opposite Ras el Medawar, destroying some hangars aud causing three heavy explosions. Patrols carried out reconnaissances deep into enemy positions. Enemy Raid On Frontier. lu the frontier area on Tuesday night a party of about 30 of the enemy raided a forward observation post. There were no British casualties. There was some enemy shelling about three and a half miles south-east of Halfaya Pass in the area of Bir' Siweiyat. Ten enemy aircraft raided Mersa Matrub on "Tuesday night. There were no British casualties. Fourteen enemy aircraft dropped incendiary bombs on the landing ground al Qasaba, but there was no damage. From Abyssinia there are reports of strongly-occupied enemy positions astride the Amba Geogis-Gondar Road The area south of Debarech has been heavily mined. The communique issued today by the Royal Air Force Headquarters in the Middle East states that on Wednesday and Thursday nights Benghazi was raided by heavy bombers. Direct hits were registered on the central, outer, Juliana and Cathedral moles and bombs also fell among ships in Ihe harbour. On these raids our aircraft also machine-gunned motor transport between Tokra and Barce and at G azala. Considerable Damage Done. Bardia was also raided on successive nights. The first raid was carried out by naval aircraft and as a result of tiie bombing two large fires were started and considerable damage done to .motor transport and stores. A motor transport park some miles outside the town was machine-gunned. In the second raid the jetty was attacked and camps on the TobrukBardin road machine-gunned. Aircraft of the South African Air Force also raided Bardia in daytime. Our fighters have been active and in one engagement in the Sidi Barrani area Tomahawks piloted by South Africans damaged several Messerschmitt 109’s. Four of our aircraft are missing from the operations carried out during the period under review. Following the capture of Wolchelit Pass and fortress in Abyssinia, only one defended stronghold now remains between the British troops and Gondar. This is Voliach, about 12 miles north-east of Gondar.