WHIRLWIND RAIDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24131, 25 November 1941, Page 7

WHIRLWIND RAIDS

AXIS SUPPLY COLUMNS NEW HURRICANE BOMBERS DEVASTATING EFFECT (Reed. 8.40 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. The attack on the supply column on the El Adem-Acroma road began with a Tomahawk raid at noon. The Tomahawks blocked the road by destroying 20 vehicles, killing or wounding about 100 men. Two more squadrons strafed the column three hours later, setting fire to petrol tankers and other lorries.

A squadron of Hurricane bombers carried out a most damaging raid at dusk and scored direct hits on four lorries with four bombs. Other machines of the squadron destroyed an average of three vehicles each.

Complete Surprise A young pilot described a particularly devastating raid on an eastbound Italian supply column near Tobruk. "There were hundreds of vehicles," he said, "and we took them completely by surprise. We swept down to 40 feet or less and gave it to them right down the line, then back, and then back again, shooting them up for nearly an hour and completely wrecking the convoys. You have seen men in the talkies, when shot, throw up their hands and pitch forward. I saw at least 100 go down that way. We were so close we could have picked our victims. It was a pleasure to be giving these fellows a taste of their own medicine."

Ho Chance for Defence It was recently revealed that Hurricane bombers have been in use in the Central Mediterranean and there are also some reports that these aircraft are in action in the Libya battle, says the British official wireless. They can attack with equal force strongholds, tanks, convoys, troop concentrations and, if the need arises, enemy lighters, writes a special correspondent who visited the Fighter Command station in Southern England, whence these Hurricanes are flown by a Royal Canadian Air Force squadron. They take off at every opportunity to attack with bombs and bullets a variety of targets in German-occupied France. The method of attack adopted by the Royal Air Force'at Home for the Hurricanes gives some indication of the surprise value of their assault on the Ger- 1 mans and Italians in Libya. A pilot described how at sea level, sometimes flying in the trough of the waves, they swept on to bomb objectives behind Cherbourg. "They could not see us coming, but no doubt they heard us," he said.

Over the desert wastes and the rugged coast of Libya, Hurricanes can sweep on to a convoy or a panzer division so rapidly at almost ground level that they are gone and their bombs have exploded before the enemy have time to take defensive action.

AXIS CLAIMS "ALL ATTACKS REPULSED" ALLEGED BRITISH LOSSES LONDON. Nov. 24 A German communique yesterday stated: "German and Italian troops in North Africa have successfully fought the British forces advancing from the south and destroyed over 260 tanks and 200 armoured cars. The surrounding Italian forces repelled strong attacks by the British garrison at Tobruk, supported by tanks." The Berlin radio was most subdued on Saturday night, and said: "It will be necessary to await the developments of the next few days for a clear picture of events. It is obvious from the reports so far received that the British thrust is meeting harder resistance than the British expected." The German news agency, referring to the Libyan offensive, claimed yesterday that the Axis had destroyed well over 300 British tanks and 200 armoured cars advancing from the south. British tank formations simultaneously attempting to break out of Tobruk were repulsed with heavy losses. An Italian communique said fighting in North Africa was continued all day on Saturday along a front from Egypt to Tobruk. Italian divisions repulsed all enemy attacks and inflicted new and serious losses.

The Rome radio said: "Fierce fighting occurred on Saturday. In the Tobruk area the British. shelled our positions and tried to push through. The day ended, however, without the enemy having gained ground. They lost many tanks and aeroplanes."

Rome radio declared that violent fighting continues in North Africa. "It is going in the Axis favour. We took prisoner a British general," it is alleged.

GERMAN MANPOWER SEVERE DRAIN INDICATED (Reed. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 23 Examination of German prisoners taken in Libya indicates the drain on Germany's manpower, says the Associated Press correspondent at desert headquarters. Ono group of prisoners comprised' old reservists due for final mobilisation last year, and another group which recently arrived in Libya included several who had just been released from hospital; some were still wearing bandages on unhealed wounds.