ON LARGER SCALE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 14 October 1941, Page 5

ON LARGER SCALE

ACTIVITY AT TOBRUK ITALIAN WORKING FAR TIES SUFFER BRITISH PATROLS INFLICT CAST M.TII S i hVr . a.in 1 Rugby, Oct . 13. London of the recent patrol activities m the Tobruk area which have been on a rather larger scale than usual. On the night of 9th October a patrol of 20 strong took up positions outside the 'view of obtaining identification and inflicting casualties. A large Italian : working party advanced to within approximately sixty yards of the patrol .and started to work. A covering party of about 40 strong with 13 light machine-guns approached to within 20 yards of our patrol which opened fire at point blank range with brens and machine-guns inflicting about 40 casualties. The patrol then withdrew without loss. On the following night a fighting natrol in an area in the west perimeter fired on the enemy who were about 50 strong and who were bunched together on (he skyline. The enemy replied with light rifle fire but inflicted no casualties on our troops. The same night a patrol of 24 strong lay in wait whilst an enemy working party approached to within 50 yards. Two scouts came forward to within 20 yards and then brought up the main body consisting of about 30 men. Withholding their fire until the enemV advance troops were only ten yards off. our patrol opened fire with every available weapon killing 15 enemy other ranks and captur ing one officer. An enemy machine gun 00 yards to the flank opened up and was quickly silenced. Our casualties were two slightly wounded. Italian working parties are presumed to be attempting to damage their defensive posts In the southern sector German tanks and Italian infantry succeeded in dislodging a garrison in an observation post which they had attempted to capture on the previous night. The enemy used about 20 tanks. Our casualties were two killed and seven wounded. The enemy casualties are not known. On 11th October ten enemy tanks cruised about all day in this area firing on our forward advanced localities but generally remaining in hull down positions and taking no offensive action. They were constantly harassed by our artillery. There was very heavy enemy shelling in the southern sector. In the eastern sector the enemy fired a few rounds at the harbour but caused no damage. SHARP ENCOUNTER ON FRONTIER GERMAN ARMOURED CARS ROUTED OBSERVATION POINT RECAPTURED (Rec. noon) Rugby, Oct. 13. A General Headquarters Cairo communique states: "At Tobruk on Sunday night our infantry patrols, sup- , ported by tanks, forced the enemy to ; withdraw from one of the observation i points he recently captured. In the i south-west sector Polish patrols attacked an enemy strong point, inflicting numerous casualties on the garrison before they themselves withdrew. These actions resulted in the enemy putting down a continuous but ineffective artillerv barrage for the remainder of the night. During yesterday a number of enemy parties, employed in improving defence works outside our south-east sector, were dispersed by artillery fire. To cover these parties German tanks approached our defences, but were forced to withdraw after one had been hit. In the frontier area one of our mechanised patrols successfully attacked an enemy post After a sharp encounter four German armoured cars were put to flight while a fifth was destroyed and left in our hands. Several German prisoners and a quantity of equipment were also captured.—B.O.W.