Tanker Sunk En Route to Libya

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 95, 22 April 1941, Page 5

Tanker Sunk En Route to Libya

Four Tanks and 850 Prisoners Taken at Tobruk SEVENTH ASSAULT ON FORTRESS SMASHED LONDON, April 22. The Admiralty announces that further loss was inflicted on enemy supplies intended for its iorces in Lioya when a fully-laden taoiker was sunk en route to Nortn Africa by a British submarine. The British and Australian air forces in Libya have b3en reinforced by South Africans and are steadily increasing their attacks on enemy concentrations. This increased striking power has apparently been the cause of the diminishing German pressure. In their seventh assault on Tobruk on Saturday the Germans again suffered a heavy defeat, losing four tanks and 850 prisoners, making over 1500 captured to date. A correspondent in Tobruk, describing the attack says German tanks followed by infantry passed the wire barriers of the outer defences fn a blinding dust storm and suddenly appeared 20 yards from the defenders. Twelve tanks led the attack. Three were immediately knocked out by anti-tank guns, and the fourtu was stopped by an Australian who crept up on the blind side of tne tank and tnrust a piece of angle iron into the wheels. The remaining tanks retreated as did also the troops following them, but a patrol of Australians with Bren guns had already carried out an encircling movement and came back with 847 prisoners including a German colonel and an Italian officer. To date 33 tanks have been destroyed by the defenders of Tobruk and 24 German planes have been brought down over the fortress. The Tobruk garrison includes Indian troops and life in the fortress goes on normally. The Australian military band finds time to play a programme every afternoon. The Admiralty also announced that four Messerschmitts attacked his Majesty’s minesweeper Basset on Sunday. One received a direct hit and exploded in the air, while a second was seen to be heavily hit. It did a half loop before the pilot was able to regain partial control. Large pieces were seen falling from the plane which was on fire and losing height when endeavouring to reach the British coast which it failed to do. The Bassett suffered no damage and no casualties.