SUCCESS AT TOBRUK

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 132, 6 May 1941, Page 5

SUCCESS AT TOBRUK

BRITISH ASSAULT.

3000 PRISONERS TAKEN. (United Press Association —Copyright.) (11.45 a.m.) LONDON, May 5. The British forces at Tobruk have taken a total of 3000 prisoners, states a correspondent with the advanced forces in the Western Desert. They made a strong counter-attack on Saturday night and dealt a blow at the enemy preparations for further attacks on the outer defences. In the Solium area the enemy suffered the loss of men and armoured vehicles as a result of our operations. In Abyssinia our advance against Aniba Laga is progressing and further positions have been occupied and prisoners taken. In Southern Abyssinia also our operations are progressing satisfactorily.

An Italian communique says: Our operations in tho Tobruk sector continue. Our planes bombed fortifications '

SANDSTORM CHECKS OPERATIONS

Military circles in Cairo report a lull earlier in the fighting at 'tobruk while a duststOrm raged, enveloping attackers and defenders, clouds of sand reducing visibility to less than JO yar<ib. Italian and German forces stili nold a small sector in the western portion of the outer defon -es, but their tai-ks have not attempted a fresli attack after being driven back on Saturday by heavy artillery fire.

The correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, after a tour of tho Western Desert, declares that the British forces are by no moans at a disadvantage today compared with the posit-on last June. Though the German advance from Fl Agheila came sooner and more strongly than was exp.cted, we were aware of the presence of German ai-

moured formations in Tripoli. The Germans, he said, no longer were using theinland desert route for the transport of supplies because ft,had been toi nd too costly in fuel i-ud also wear and tear. This meant tb:i: they must bring what they could by air and tho rest by the coastal road, which was exposed to attack by the Navy and the Royal Air Force.

"1 was particularly impressed by the Australians ii, our main defence positions," the correspondent said. "They know the present enemy is different in calibre from then" formor opponent in this area, but they found the defence lino amazingly strong and have since immensely added to its strength." RELATIONS WITH EGYPT. Mr Churchill, in a message to the Anglo-Egyptian Chamber oi Commerce paying a tribute to its work, said : Although the struggle wherein we are engaged and wherein the fate of Egypt is as much at stake as ours lias naturally disrupted tho normal channels of Anglo-Egyptian trade, the war has proved that the two countries are complementary economically as well as politically.

MUCH DAMAGE INFLICTED AIR FORCE ACTIVITIES. (British Official Wireless.) (Roc. 11.0 a.m.) RUGBY. .May o. An R.A.F. Middle East communique states: —During the night of May 3-4 R.A.F. bombers raided Bcnina aerodrome, near Benghazi, causing a number of fires and explosions. Derna aerodrome was also bombed, with similar results. Enemy moto. - transport and mechanised units,, some of which wore carrying troops, wore both bombed and machine-gunned in the Marawa area. A number of motor transnort vehicles were destroyed and others damaged and casualties inflicted on troops.

Other bombers attacked the military headquarters south-oast of Tobruk. causing four largo fires. The Italian headquarters in Abyssinia were machine-gunned by South African Air Force fighters and a vigorous attackwas made on stores dumps, motor transport and troops throughout the day between Falage Pass and the Dessyo Road. Tfc is estimated that over 100 motor transport vehicles wore severely damaged. Stores dumps were repeatedly bit by bombs. From all these 0| orations our aircraft returned safely with the exception of two.