BRILLIANT RAID

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 November 1941, Page 4

BRILLIANT RAID

MADE BY BRITISH TROOPS ON BARDIA STORY OF EXPLOIT IN APRIL LAST. DASHING AND SUCCESSFUL OPERATION. LONDON, November 14. Today details are given for the first time of operations by the British force of picked men known as the commandos, in a raid on the Libyan port of Bardia. In April last the Italians claimed that an attempted British landing at Bardia had failed and that all the troops taking part in it had been captured. The true story is now told. At that time British General Headquarters in the Middle East was anxious to create a diversion in order to draw enemy forces away from the Libyan frontier area. It was thought that a raid on Bardia might serve this purpose.

It was desired to know whether Bardia was occupied by Axis troops, whether the coast defences had been organised and whether the harbour of Bardia was being used in supplying the enemy’s forward troops. At 11 o’clock at night the commandos landed on the beaches below the cliffs on which Bardia stands and scaled the escarpment. The place was found undefended. The commandos scattered this way and that. Suddenly there was an explosion, then another and another. The road bridge and an old defence battery at the head of the cliffs were blown up and enemy store dumps were set on fire, motor tires and other items making a great blaze. Enemy scouts on motor-cycles came roaring up and were followed by armoured cars and tanks, but by this time the raiding troops had retired according to schedule and all returned safely, with the exception of one boatload, having accomplished their object.