NAVY SWEEPS MEDITERRANEAN
Eye-Witness Story Of Attack On Tripoli Harbour
Vain Wait For Italian Response
(From Reuter's Special Correspondent with the Mediterranean Fleet)
ON NOVEMBER 26, I witnessed the Fleet Air Arm's attack on Tripoli harbour. The at- tack was carried out during a routine sweep of the eastern and central Mediterranean Sea.
Quays, warehouses and shipping were heavily bombed and many fires caused. Toy balloons with lights attached floated up from the aircraft-carrier to test the wind and then, in the dim light of the old moon, heavily-laden bombers took off and vanished.
A period of watchful tension
followed and time passed slowly! SHOT BY
as all eyes strained towards the coast. Suddenly the sky-line was i litby bursting anti-aircraft shells and by flares dropped from the British bombers.
A moment later a great burst of flame cracked the darkness, cuggesting that a petrol dump had been hit,
Shortly after this the 'planes began returning and we waited anxiously until "all back in safe-; ty" was reported.
Then swiftly we were away on a different course,
Ship Hit
Keports from the pilots showed that medium and heavy bombs found their marks and one ship was hit by no fewer than three bombs.
When we were 60 miles from shore fires were still visible on the sky-line.
While Admiral Sir James Somervlite's forces had been sweeping the western Mediter- ranean, our eastern forces had
been ranging over the whole eastern and central areas, ceek. ing the Italian flect,
Convoys had been escorted in
all directions and it is dally be- coming clearer how emply is the Italian boast that the Mediter ranean is "mare nostrum."
20 Submarines Sunk Under the water over 20 of her the air many of her shadowing
submarines. have been sunk; in
planes have been knocked down and ighter formations broken up,
UNLOADED RIFLE
TAKING CARE OF HEALTH. The occupants of a London shelter having their throats sprayed with disinfectant, Some of the children thoroughly enjoy it. A study at an under.. ground tube railway station where Londoners seek safety during the ralds. (Copyright; Fax.)
FIGHT THAT FUNK- HOLE IDEA
at rifle training exercise the cor- While a squad of soldiers were
"The great thing in my view is poral gave the order to fire and to resist any interruption. We are Rifleman Jeffery James Whitney,
and a twenty, fell dead, shot through all in the battle,
battle the neck.
incans struggling and fighting, not quietly submitting and going down to a funk hole every time some- one blows a whistle."
This story was told at an in- quest at St. Pancras, London, N.W. An cfficer stated that ifles should not have been brought loaded on parade,
Rifleman Harry Winch, who fired the chot, caid that he had loaded his rifle at night to go on guard and later another rifle man borrowed the rifle for guard duty, When he return. ed the rifle he told Winch that
of
This is what the Recorder London, Sir Gerald Dodson, told an Old Bailey jury after refusing to interrupt a caso when A.A. guns were heard in action.
The Recorder adjourned the
the ammunition was In his Court to his room in the corri pouch."
dor, where the case was complet
a week to await the findings of
The inquest was adjourned for led.
During the list war Sir Gerald the military court of inquiry. was in the RNVR.
SIGNOR ANSALDO'S WISTFUL THINKING
SIGNOR ANSALDO, Mussolini's radio com- mentator whose special duty seems to be to try and cheer up the Fascist troops, tried very hard on Friday night to earn his money.
Signor Ansaldo concentrated on the German.air attacks on Britain which (he said) deserved a cer- tain amount of attention, although really big re- sults would take many months.
HE WARNED HIS LISTENERS THAT THE COLOURFUL RE- PORTS OF "SPECIAL CORRES.... Throughout our own stoady PONDENTS" ABOUT TOWNS IN. flow of men and materials has RUINS AND PORTS SMASHED
WON'T GIVE
continued along this highway|TO ATOMS MUST BE TAKEN UP SPIT
which the Italians presume to WITH A GRAIN OF SALT. call their own.
Italy, he went on, must count on! the increasing pressure of the German attacks on Britain, al- though Italy must not expect the war to be decided for her by her
On the latest trip I had a Arst glimpse of peaceful Suda Bay, with its litle white town at the foot of the olive-covered hill, ally. *~ The peace was shattered by four bombs from a lone raider flying at tremendous height,
The bombs, fell in the sea and did no damage while the raider made off" in the clouds.
All Alone"
The Italians (he said rather Wistfully) must win the war in the Mediterranean with their own arms "all alone."
Other speakers on the Italian radio are not quite so resigned.
That night we attacked Tripolito fighting "all along.”
Vain Walt
In vain we waited for an Ita-ully" roughly handled, lian response but two days pass- ed before we heard the news that
AND POLISH
The Army refuses to abandon "spit and polish."
In the face of a barrage of criticism, it will continue to in- sist on a very high standardin this respect, because of the ex- cellent effect it is held to have on morale,
a
"There is an inclination on the One Rome commentator" was part of some people," said anxious to prove that Germany military authority in London, "to cannot afford to see a valuable say that spit and polish is a
waste of time. We do not be. Italy's invasion of França was lieve it is, provided it is kept decisive faator, he cald, and within reasonable limite. No Italian help is still ossential for one has to spend his time the defeat of Britain. Patiently we waited for inform
that to the detriment of training After talking about the "vio-in rifle and field craft, ation as to its location but all we torious Italian heard was that Sir James Somer-Somaliland, Egypt and Greece, he campaign" in ville's forces had contacted the continued: Italians at long range and that
the Italian fleet was abroad,
on
"The balance is about right, and I hope, we shall not be ac "Furthermore, the Italian Fleet cused of training for the last war British when we do insist on a bit of
spit-and polish.
the enemy was now hurrying has immobilised the hcine. Router.
| Navy!"—Reuter,
DUKE'S HOUSE AS CENTRE FOR TROOPS
The Duke of Buccleuch has lent guest house in which Scottish the main part of his Landon house sailors, soldiers and airmen on in Grosvenor-place for the dura-passing through London will find lion at the war to the Association the comfort of a first-class West of Scottish Societies of London for End club. the use of Scottish troops as u social centre.
A list of suitable hostels, to which the guests can be recom- The spacious drawing room, din-mended for the night, will be part will be adapted and equipped as bureau to be set up there. ing ball, and other apartments, of the service of an information
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