TOBRUK AWAITS CAPTURE

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 January 1941, Page 7

TOBRUK AWAITS CAPTURE

SANDSTORMS HAMPER AIRMEN SUDAN FRONTIER RAID [BY CABLE—PRESS ASSN.—COPYRIGHT.] LONDON, January 15. A British 'air reconnaissance reveals that the Italians in Tobruk are awaiting their fate resignedly. Sandstorms are somewhat hampering the British air observation of the artillery .bombardment of Tobruk. Technical brilliance of British pilots is demonstrated by miraculous landings in a thick pall of swirling yellow dust, completely obscuring the ground. British troops on the East African front, taking advantage of brilliant moonlight and supported by artillery, executed a strong night raid against prepared Italian positions on the Gallabat sector, and gained objectives. It is estimated sixty Italians were killed. Italian aircraft have virtually been chased out of Libya, and British machines have carried out widespread bombing raids and reconnaissance flights without molestation. NO MAJOR CHANGE.

RUGBY, January 15. The British and Imperial Forces in Africa continue their activities against the enemy, but no major change has been announced. The latest news is contained in a Cairo communique, which states: On all fronts, successful patrol activity continues. ITALIAN CLAIMS. (Received January 16, 12.20 p.m.) LONDON, January 15. An Italian communique reports artillery and patrol activity'in the Tobruk and Jarabub zones. It says: Our air force effectively bombed enemy armoured units and artillery. Enemy air-raids in Libya damaged buildings. The enemy bombed four places on the Abyssinian frontier, including Moyale, causing some damage. AERIAL ATTACK ON FLEET LONDON, January 15. The correspondent of the British United Press with the fleet describing the Luftwaffe attack on the fleet says that Italian reconnaissance aircraft approached the British warships, but they were driven off. An hour later two Italian torpedo-carrying bombers took up the attack. They met a tremendous fire from the warships’ guns and one dropped a torpedo which passed through the wake of the warship carrying the corespondent. Then, an hour and a half later, came the beginning of the main attack. Fifteen German dive-bombers approached, flying at 8000 feet. They split into groups of three and roared down in vertical dives. In some cases they straitened out at less than 100 feet. Then they climbed and reformed for another attack, while the fighters from H.M.S. Illustrious took off to engage them. The dive-bombers did not return until 6 p.m. This time’there were 11 of them, and they appeared to be the same squadron, with four missing. They used new tactics in the attack. Instead of climbing as soon as they had dropped their bombs, they skimmed over the water at a height of 10 feet, to give the impression that they were put out of action, and then climbed. . . , The Illustrious is one of Britain s latest aircraft-carriers, being launched less than two years ago. The Southampton is a cruiser of 9000 tons, and was one of the escort vessels which sailed with the King and Queen on their visit to Canada and the United States.

Between this encounter and Sunday, the British have brought down a total of 27 German and Italian machines in the Mediterranean, North Africa and over Italy.

WELL-EARNED D.F.C. RUGBY, January 15. When Flight Lieutenant J. H. Lapsley was awarded the D.F.C. recently, it was mentioned that “on one occasion, singlehanded, he attacked a formation of four S79’s, and destroyed three of them.” It wa sin the Battle of Bardia and Fort Capuzzo that Lapsley performed his great feat. He arrived on the scene of the combat just as five S79’s dropped bombs well astern of the fleet, and were making for home as fast as their engines could carry them. One of the five immediately went down in flames—evidently had fallen a victim to fire from one of the warships. Lapsley at once went for the remainder. Picking out the leader first, he gave him about eight short bursts from the guns on his Hurricane, and the Italian fell away. The enemy machine fell inside the British lines, and the deadliness of Lapsley’s shooting was shown by 600 bullet holes in the aircraft, which later was on view at Alexandria and Cairo, when tens of thousands inspected it. Having dealt with the leader, Lapsley went full tilt for a second. He had put in only a second burst, when it went up in flames. By this time, there was only one Italian aircraft left in sight, and it was making desperate efforts to escape. The pilot was diving like mad for the cloud, but Lapsley gave him three or four long bursts, and with one engine smoking, the 579 disappeared.

BRITISH AIRMEN’S FUNERAL. (Received January 16, 11.30 a.m.) ROME, January 15. The Stefani Agency says that eight British airmen, killed in the Catania raid on January 12, were buried with full military honours, at Catania. Italian airmen carried the coffins to the cemetery. _____