THORN IN SIDE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24135, 29 November 1941, Page 11

THORN IN SIDE

IMPREGNABLE PORT VAIN ITALIAN BOASTING TOBRUK SURPRISES THE AXIS (Reed. 5.35 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 27 The news to-day that the Tobruk forces have joined up with New Zealand troops south-east of the port invites a recollection that it is now just six months since l the Italian press gleefully announced that the British garrison at Tobruk was showing signs of exhaustion, says a British official wireless message. A month later a number of attacks, supported by tanks, having failed to enable them to take advantage of this alleged exhaustion to capture this highly valued prize, the enemy announced that Tobruk was to be surrounded by an impregnable ring and slowly bombed and shelled out of existence. Every day, often five or six times daily, Axis aircraft showered their bombs on the harbour and defences, and every day their artillery shelled the whole area. The result was singularly ineffective. It is an axiom that a defended port must be attacked at the same time by land and sea if it is to be reduced. Thanks to the British Navy, Tobruk could never be attacked from the sea. The Tobruk garrison did not sit quiet under the enemy's threat. Almost nightlv raids were made, patrols penetrating deeply into the enemy's positions, destroying observation posts, shooting up working parties and bringing in prisoners, and almost invariably the initiative was with us. The Germans were led to believe that the Australians alone numbered three divisions. Still there was no doubt the enemy really thought our troops were entrapped. They could not believe supplies were being brought in by sea. It must have been a shock to them to learn that almost the entire garrison has been relieved this autumn by fresh troops without their knowledge and with no loss to ourselves, and still more that the garrison has been reinforced with tanks. The holding of Tobruk made an Axis attack on Egypt impossible. For seven and a-half months three Italian divisions and some German troops have been nailed down to the land blockade lines, with the result that armoured divisions on ,the frontier lacked the infantry backing which was essential to a forward move. When General Cunningham began his attack the Tobruk garrison took part, and with the tanks the Navy had landed, drove deeply into the south-east sector of the enemy's defensive lines.