CLAIMED BY THE GERMANS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 June 1942, Page 3

CLAIMED BY THE GERMANS

Terrific Axis Attack on Fortress MAXIMUM RESISTANCE BY BRITISH AND INDIAN TROOPS BUT GARRISON APPARENTLY OVERWHELMED LONDON, June 21. A message from Cairo states that the German claim to have taken Tobruk is not officially confirmed there, but there is no reason to doubt that it is true. Reports received from Cairo before the German claim was made described the situation as precarious. . A 8.8. C. observer describes the terrific weight of the Axis attack on the fortress. The attack followed the Axis plan of striking hard in one small locality. Dive-bombers, infantry and tanks concentrated on two parts of the perimeter in the south-east sector and the latest news was that our forces were putting’ up maximum resistance and that British and Indian troops were fighting side by side. The weight and speed of the German attack are emphasised. It is possible that the men of Tobruk did not have the opportunity to organise the defences as they would have wished. The enemy states that a British officer carrying a flag of truce appeared and offered to surrender yesterday. There is no fresh news of an Axis attack on the frontier. The Axis has again had an expensive 24 hours over Malta. Enemy planes appeared in small formations. Although no bombs were dropped four Axis bombers were brought down, three German and one Italian. AN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT IN LONDON CONFIRMS THE NEWS THAT TOBRUK HAS BEEN LOST TO THE ENEMY.