FLEET IN ACTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24104, 24 October 1941, Page 8

FLEET IN ACTION

COASTAL BOMBARDMENT TOBRUK GARRISON ACTIVE LONDON, Oct, 22 A correspondent with the British Fleet in the Western Mediterranean describes how the enemy coastal gun positions east of Tobruk had a surprise on Tuesday night, when warships Hung broadsides' on to the Libyan escarpment during a 10-minute midnight bombardment. At ail appointed hour naval aircraft started dropping flares to the eastward and the leading ship opened broadsides, followed by the remainder in rotation. Although aircraft continued to drop flares for half an hour there was no si-nt of enemv anti-aircraft lire. "A Middle* East war communique states: "At Tobruk throughout luesdav there was considerable hostile air activity from which, however, we suffered only two casualties. "Enemy artillery in the sector maintained intermittent but ineffective fire throughout the day, whereas our counter battery shelling was observed to cause an explosion in the target area. Our patrols again covered a wide front without confronting any enemy patrols or working parties in their forward areas. "In the frontier area two German patrols, driving camels in front or them to try to discover the location of our minefields, were engaged with fire and driven off." . , Two British breweries have together sent 35 tons of beer to the forces in Tobruk It is hoped this welcome gut will be distributed at Christmas.