MIDDLE EAST

Grey River Argus, 30 October 1941, Page 8

MIDDLE EAST

Axis Reinforcements

R.A.F. ATTACKS ON TRANSPORTS.

LONDON, October 28. The Italian Press announced that a large number of German sailors have arrived in Italy to sail ships between Italy and Libya. An Italian air communique says that British aeroplanes dropped bombs on two places in the toe of Italy in daylight on Monday. It also reports another raid on Benghazi. General Cavallero, in a speech at Naples, said: Shipping on this route is most important and also most dangeious, calling for unavoidable sacrifice. We gratefully welcome the German merchant sailors, who are participating in the necessary duty of providing Italian and German troops for the Western Desert. Mussolini has declared Italy’s determination to fight for final victory. He was addressing peasants who are to be given holdings in the reclaimed Pontine Marshes.

An announcement’ in yesterday’s Cairo communique, j-hat an observation post had been overrun by a strong enemv detachment, was premature. To-day’s communique states: Owing to bad visibility our patrols at Tobruk vesterdav mistook the location of our listening-post, which was believed to have been overrun during the night of October 24/25. Yesterdav, the listening-post, with its garrison. was found to be intact, a small party of British other ranks having successfully beaten off an attack by numerically-superior enemy forces. On Tuesdav. in the frontier area, patrolling activities were again continued, without interference from the enemy. A Middle East RA.F. communique stated: R.A.F. heavy bombers on Sundav night effectively raided Benghazi harbour, bombs bursting on the Cathedral Mole and objectives in the town. On Tuesday the harbour was again attacked bv the S A.A.F. Bombs fell near the railway sidings ,-t Governorate, while others straddled the workshops and railway installations. Fires broke out in the workshops. Military buildings we also hit. Anti-aircraft and coastal defence guns at Bardia were attacked b v naval aircraft on Saturday night. During the following night, naval aircraft bombed store dumps near the Gambit land’ng ground. The dumps were again raided bv medium bombers of the R.A.F. on Tuesday.

Motor transport on the coastal road to th o Gulf of Sirte was heavilv machine-gunned on Sunday, and many vehicles were hit.

; In southern Italy, R.A.F. medium ombers attacked a goods tram near Cotrone on Tuesdav. and blew it up. A ra’hvav station and railway bridge in the vicinity sustained direct hits. From these and other operations, all ours returned safely, A Nairobi communique states: On October 24, an enemy patrol from the Deva area, north-west of Gonnar. was engaged bv patriots, and driven back with losses. The patriots suffered no casualties. On October 25, our aircraft attacked an enemy encampment arid motor transport near Guram ba. south of Gondar, with bombs and machine-gun fire Direct hits were observed. Guramba is an important market centre, from which General Nasi gets supplies for his forces, which are surrounded in the Gondar area. The’ Victoria Cross has been awarded to Private J. H. Gordon, of the Australian military forces, for courage during the Syrian operations. The official report states: On the night of July 10, during an attack on Greenhill, north of Djezzine. Gordon’s company came under intense machine-gun fire/ and its advance was held up. Movement, even by single individuals, became . almost Impossible. The enemv machine-gun position, which had brought the two forward platoons t.o a halt, was fo r “ tilled, and covered the area occupied bv our forces. Gordon, on his own initiative, crept forward over the area swept by machine-gun and grenade fire, and succeeded in approaching close to the post. He then charged it from the front, and killed the four machine-gunners with the bayonet. His action demoralised the enemy in this sector, and the company advanced and took the position. During the remainder of the action that night and on the following day. Gordon, who throughout the had shown a high degree of courage-, fought with equal gallantry.

BEER FOR TOBRUK.

8.0.W. RUGBY, October 22. Two British breweries have together sent 35 tons of beer to the forces in Tobruk. It.is hoped that this welcome gift will be distributed at Christmas time, and if this wish is fulfilled,, the recipients will be able to drink to the “longest siege in British history.”