1941-05-26 — Page 25

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THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 26, 1941. ง

TURNED ON SURVEY,

BAGGED

ITALIANS TURNED GUNS ON WOUNDED A NAZI

(By A' Special Correspondent)

AN OFFICER AND A DRIVER FROM SOUTH WALES WERE BADLY INJURED IN 20 MINUTES

OF THE MOST DESPERATE FIGHTING I AM

EVER LIKELY TO SEE.

Alexander Clifford, of the "Daily Mail,” and myself, the only uninjured men in our party, were just able to bind the men's wounds and crawl with them to safety. Others were killed, and half a dozen injured in the same action.

We drove forward through enemy territory, pust Cirene, Appolonia and Maraura during the day, and caught up with an Eng- fish armoured scouting patrol on

the outskirts of Barce.

We joined

their party, went

ahead of the main body, and came on whole bunches of Italians.

the leading

NAMES MIXED -- GOT

WRONG JOB

A distinguished solcher was ask- ed to send up the names of two

A group of green-uniformed volunteers to go to Egypt, and two Italians were laying long oblong recommendations for men to go lo mines in the road. They fled at, the O.C.T.U. the approach of armoured ear.

Soldiers in our party started tearing up the mmes to make the road safe for the long columns of Australians pouring along behind.,

Point-Blank Range

First warning we had that the enemy were entrenched in force on the hill ahead with machine- guns, Birdla

and two- pounders cratic Whi

it long, whunning :eream of bullets came down the roadway.

Clifford and [ made for the wonded bank on the left, but it was hopeless the enemy were Being fran point-blank range. 200 or 300 yards away. The patrol | also tried to make for cover, som of them shooting as they ran. One Breda gun burst get an armoured car ablaze, and killed the men insade

Our driver had been hit in the arm by au explosive bullet raved over to him, tearing off 0 bandage from my leg

Clifford joined me as I pulled off his greafeont ad Put away Îns sweater and -hirt But then.

the Italian Runners Preeging chuser say us the Fast of the Bath left around the ears.

Truck Wrecked

They blew our truck to bits. while We crouched ve yard. away trying to stem the wounded man's flow of blood Then a piece of shrapnel struck the conducting officer in the left forearm.

By now the line of cars and trucks was blazing, and although they could sce Clifford and 1 trying to bind up the wounded men, the Italians deliberately turned all their fire on us. We dragged the driver inte bush, and the conducting officer. who continued directing us de- spite his wound, followed. Then, forcing the driver to his feet-he was in great pain. we crouched and dodved from bush to bush.

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As we crossed each onen soare the Italians unlansed fire peal We began the long nightmarish walk back under shellfire until we were picked up by a Bri ish patrol.

Australians Arrive

Even before we got the wound- 'ed to the first-aid post, where they operated in the light of hurri- cane lamps, the Australians had come up and encircled the Italian gunners and won the hill.

One bullet grazed Clifford's thigh. Another ture a nea' line of holes down the forearm of my greatcoat.

I

A fighter pilot took off recently on a local wea- ther survey, and less than half an hour later landed back at his station, hav- ing shot down a Dornier

17 into the North Sea.

He was twenty-three-year-old Squadron-Leader R. S. S. Tuck, leader of the Burma Squadron, Fighter Command, holder of the D.S.O. and D.F.C. with bar. This was his twenty-second confirmed victory.

"I had gone up to test the weather," he said. "While I was up I had word that an enemy air- craft was off the coast. I sighted him about seven miles ahead, It was a Dornier 17.

"When I got within range gave him two short bursts. Onc of the crew baled out, and the second burst allenced the гелг gunner.

The Dornler then glided down into the sea." Squadron-Leader Tuck was born at Catford, S.E.

The names were mixed up but though the mistake was pointed out, nothing was dene, and the two who wanted to be officers trained as officers. went to Egypt. and those whe This story was told by Miss wanted to go

to

Egypt were Irene Ward, M.P. in the Commons.

U.B

GONE

ARE THE HORSE

AND CARRIAGE