VIOLENT OFFENSIVE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 103, 3 May 1941, Page 9

VIOLENT OFFENSIVE

ENEMY AT TOBRUK

ELEVEN TANKS LOST

MUCH AIR ACTIVITY

LONDON, May 2,

The latest news from North Africa states that fierce fighting is takkig place at Tobruk, where the enemy launched a violent attack on Wednesday night. / A Cairo communique'states that the enemy throughout yesterday t were still attacking the outer defences of the town. In one sector the British troops counter-attack-ed with such success that the enemy were driven back, losing 11 tanks and suffering many casualties. It is stated in Cairo that the enemy is hurling large numbers of tanks'into the attack, especially against the west and south-west perimeter defences, and is lending full support to the land operations with large numbers of divebombers and fighters. Three Messerschmitts were shot down in flames by R.A.F. fighters.,^ The Cairo radio says that the Axis forces are probably launching this large-scale attack on Tobruk because their troops, in the Sollum area cannot advance further while the Tobruk garrison is threatening them in the rear. In the Sollum area British, patrols have been active. / ..» Reuters correspondent in the West-: crn Desert says that British armoured1 units are continuing to harass the enemy and that both sides are apparently jockeying for position in "cat and mouse'operations." R.A.F. bombers continue to attack ■ enemy positions in Libya, and during the last two nights raided the harbour and other military targets at Benghazi. Many incendiary bombs were dropped on shipping. One vessel, was set on fire, and an ammunition dump was blown up. The class of fighting now going" on in the Sollum area.was described by a British officer, wHo, speaking of the action of mobile units near Sollum, said: "We. got in behind the German . forward positions and opened fire on 300 vehicles. We completely surprised them, and were able to get in some good shooting before they got moving. We moved more quickly, and we were away before they could do us any damage."