Cairo, May 8.
During the night of May 5-6, Imperial troops successfully attacked the forward enemy posts round Tobruk, inflicting casualties and taking number of prisoners, 'Communication and observation were again made' difficult yesterday by a severe sandstorm, and further details are still lacking.
After failing last week to take Tobruk by assault, enemy pressure appears to be easing. Dive-bombing which reached a climax between May 1 and 3 has now slackened. The enemy is trying to hold a shallow cent in the south-west corner of the Tobruk area. They are in an uncomfortable position; they are frequently attacked by British forces and often shelled.
In the Sollum area, British mechanized forces continue vigorous patrolling activities. A British mobile unit which swept around behind Bar-dia and Capuzzo on May 3 and 4 caused the Germans to send patrols into the desert far south of Sollum to prevent a repetition of the exploit.
The Germans are being supplied to some extent by Junkers-52 troop-carrying planes, but many of these have already been destroyed by the Royal Air Force and their journeys pre becoming hazardous as reinforcements arrive for the Royal Air Force in the Western Desert, During Monday night the Royal Air Force raided aerodromes at Benina, Demo, Gazala, Bardia and Berka, causing fires and explosions, while on the previous night Calato aerodrome at Rhodes was successfully raided, considerable damage and large fires being caused—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.