1941-01-11 — Page 6

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THE CHINA MAIL, JANUARY 11, 1941.

| INNER STORY OF DESERT BLITZ

HIGHLANDERS SCATTER THE ITALIANS THAT MAN

WOUNDED BRITONS COMING BACK FROM WINSTON AGAIN

THE DESERT TELL A VIVID STORY OF A HIGH- LAND REGIMENT'S BAYONET CHARGE AT NI- BEWA. WHEN NIBEWA, A FORTIFIED OASIS 15 MILES SOUTH OF SIDI BARRANI, FELL, THE WAY WAS OPEN TO THE COAST.

A detachment from an armoured division form- ed the spearhead of the British frontal attack. On the flanks were Indian infantry and motoris- ed cavalry.

*The Highlanders, yelling ex- dmany sight of all ammuni- citedly, swept

The STOSS

desert tion dumps.

100 spaced

yartis sand.

apart, and stretching in a maze for "Only one in 10 of the Italians over a mile along each side of the and Libyans stayed to meet that į track. Wind change, a wounded High- "A British major told me: "The Italians fought bravely. Our tanks None of the 30 Italian tanks in were under continuous fire from the camp got to action.

Breda guns and some of them got Italians knocked about.

lander said.

Once captured, the made sure they stayed captured.]

**'Our worst losses were in Scot-

A Cypriot was the only guard |tish non-commissioned officers,'

for 30 Italian officers and men.

His lorry was the last of a con- voy bringing

Mersa Matruh.

sandstorm.

prisoners back to

It got lost in a

Italians Showed

The Way

The Halian officers immediately produced maps and helped to na- vigate the lorry for 12 hours un til it reached Mersa Matruh.

Lived in Luxury

"Far out her, at their front, the Italians lived on # scale of lux- ury that eclipses auything seen in the desert before, even in peace- time.

of

"There are great slacks Chianti, both red and white, mi- neral water in bottles and barrels. bottled cherries,

and mangoes, pincapples, thousands of tins of spaghetti, small loaves freshly A soldier of a Middlands regi-baked, cases of

chocolate, tinned ment told how an Italian machine-fish, sweetmeats, "coffee, jam, and gun post ceased firing as our men cigarettes and tobacco, both Italian

and English.

came on.

"The Italians smiled and waved their hands as a tuken of sur- render, but when we closed in two machine-gun posts nearby opened fire" he said.

The British forces did not know they were going into ac- tion until General Wavell's or- der-of-the-day was read to them į immediately before they at.

tacked.

"We didn't care, we were SO excited. We didn't notice hunger, thirst, and fatigue," said one of

them.

"In the early stages the Italian artillery was extremely accurate, but this resistance crumbled when

we got to close quarters."

A remarkable incident occurred when a train crowded with Italian prisoners from the Western De- sert passed British bombers taking off to attack Italian aerodromes: The prisoners cheered wildly.

At one isolated desert hundreds of Italians waited point in the

for transport to take them away.

British airmen reported a col- umn of Italians waiting patiently for capture rather than endure the ordeal of retreating along the road over which they advanced into Egypt three months ago.

Inner Story im Letters:

i

"In scores of dugouts every- thing remained as it was on that terrible morning when the British struck.

"There had been no time to re- scue anything.

Berlin radio alleged that British bombers had, "under Mr. Chur- chill's personal order, badly damaged the historic castle ot Kiel."

A great part of the library, including uni- que documents of the history of the Holstein province, had been destroyed-Associat-

ed Press.

PANTIES

PILOT'S

MASCOT

By A Special Correspondent

Mascot of a British

"Breakfast things stood on plane which bombs Ber-

every dugout table.

lin twice or thrice a week "They were

that made things Tommies' eyes goggle; silver pep-is per-and-salt stands, china break- fast services, perculators,

a pair of blue satin little nickel coffee cami-knickers. They hang "Gadgets like bedside lights, on the aerial. watercoolers, and liqueur glasses boot-racks, folding camp desks,

They were given to the pilot- officer in charge by his beautiful were supplied in thousands.

"The officers even had with them girl friend, Dorothy Neal, seven- their ceremonial shoulder beits.

teen, now beginning a stage career encrusted with gold lace, and decked out with silver chains." at Bristol Hippodrome.

Tank Support

Dorothy, known as England's Youngest Pocket Venus, met her The London "Daily Telegraph's"! rani says that special correspondent at Sidi Bar-pilot-officer when she was work-

ane brigade, with ing in Lincolnshire. the support of tanks, bore the brunt of the attack on Sidi Bar- rani.

"His friends all call him Dim," she told a reporter, "probably be- A unit of a famous South Coun- |cause he is so brainy.

regiment held a stretch of high ground on the left wing. Highlan- "He was a schoolmaster in pre- ders held the centre. Midlanders took the right flank.

war days. His flight-sergeant is

A squadron of the most modern called Doughy. tanks aided the left wing, and smashed its way through the

"In the strongly-barricaded Italian lines.

camp at Nibewu, which was the This enabled the infantry Arst to fall to the British in the storm and

rush to Sidi Barrani, I found let-tives.

ters written by Italians now dead

or prisoners," says the "Daily Ex- press" correspondent at Sidi Bar- rani.

"These fell the inner story of Italian fears and of squabbles among Italian officers.

"Behind the stone walls are about 50 light tanks, Breda 18- pounders, and anti-aircraft, guns.

"There are: 350 motor vehicles.} here. "They range from 10-ton Lancia

lorries to tiny Toppolini and Fiat

touring, cars.

"In a steady steam these guns

and lorries, driven by prisoners, are passing out of the fort towards the British back-area positions.

Fought Bravely "From Nibewa, guided by Itallan sign-posts, I moved west to the forts at Tummar, an hour's drive away.

Thoes forts were even strong. er than Nibawa, although they fall/jues: mw/quickly,

to

ассиру their objec-

TORPEDO WITH SEAT

She Prays for Him

"Dim begged me to give him the caml.knicks as a mascot because the other boys in his squadron had had brassieres and stockings given them as mascots by their girl friends.

"I am glad to feel they have brought him back safely every time, though I believe they have had a bullet through them:.

A torpedo used in the decorated for his work about two "I was very proud when he was

attempt by Italian officers months ago. Dim has given me a to hit ships in harbour at brand new shilling on which he Has scratched his name with: an Gibraltar is described as RAF brooch, which he gave me self-manoeuvred with a am standing in the wings of the "Every night about 9,15 when 1 seat and something which theatre, waiting to go on and sing looked like a steering personality songs. I take it out wheel.

This descripition was applied by people who, while travelling to Gibraltar from La Linea the Spanish frontler town, saw the un- exploded torpedo on the bench at La Linea.

and look at it.

"I wonder if he is over: Gar- many, and Just before 1step into the glare of the footlights 1: pray for the moment that he. Im all right.

The Spanish military authori... "About the same time he takes ties, including the, Governor of out my picture and looks at it, Algeciras, inspected, the area, feeling it will bring luck. which was promptly cordoned off.

“As far as I could see, captured cars, lorries, tanks, and guns were dotted across the desert.

No one was allowed"

4 to approach "Dim" is very anxious. I should “Betweent. Tummary forts, and until the afternoon, when the tor- make a success of my Sidi Barrant was the most extraox-pedo was removed to Algeciras, career.

stoge