Changes

==Battle of the Salient==

==Battle of the Salient==

The attack in the southern sector also involved Italian troops and Lieutenant John Mair's 16th Platoon, D Company, defending Posts R.2 and R.3 and R.4<ref>"Posts R2, R3 and R4 were occupied by Lieutenant John Mair's 16 Platoon." The Second Twenty-Fourth Australian Infantry Battalion of the 9th Australian Division: A History, R. P. Serle, 2/24th i.e. Second Twenty-fourth Australian Infantry Battalion Association, p. 78, Jacaranda Press, 1963</ref>were overrun by the Italians.<ref> "La sera del 29 il 1° plotone della 3a, agli ordini del Sototenente Ernesto Betti, andò in azione con un gruppo comandato dal Tenente dei Bersaglieri Melis. Questo reparto era costituito di un plotone Arditi dell'8° Bersaglieri e di 2 carri M13. Guastatori aprirono un varco nel campo minato protetto da filo spinato, antistante la Ridotto R3, I'assaltarono e la conquistarono utilizzando lanciafiamme e cariche cubiche ... Un commento al Bollettino di Guerra, trasmesso alle 13:00 del 10 maggio, informava che reparti del Genio Guastatori avevano espugnato 5 fortini della cerchia di Tobruk." (Genio Guastatori, Silvestri Angioni Lombardi , p. 47, Edizioni R.E.I., 2015)</ref>According to an Australian defender, ''"That night the slightest move would bring a flare over our position and the area would be lit like day. We passed a night of merry hell as the pounding went on."'' Italian infantry were then able to close in, and grenades were thrown into the bunkers. Nevertheless, strongpoints R.5 (Sergeant Poidevin), R.6 (Captain Bird) and R.7 (Corporal Jones) were taken only after stubborn resistance, and fought on until they had run out of ammunition or had grenades tossed into the firing pits. After they had been taken prisoner, General Rommel spoke to them ''"for you the war is over and I wish you good luck"'', recalled Corporal Jones

The attack in the southern sector also involved Italian troops and Lieutenant John Mair's 16th Platoon, D Company, defending strongpoints R.2 and R.3 and R.4<ref>"Posts R2, R3 and R4 were occupied by Lieutenant John Mair's 16 Platoon." The Second Twenty-Fourth Australian Infantry Battalion of the 9th Australian Division: A History, R. P. Serle, 2/24th i.e. Second Twenty-fourth Australian Infantry Battalion Association, p. 78, Jacaranda Press, 1963</ref>were overrun by the Italians.<ref> "La sera del 29 il 1° plotone della 3a, agli ordini del Sototenente Ernesto Betti, andò in azione con un gruppo comandato dal Tenente dei Bersaglieri Melis. Questo reparto era costituito di un plotone Arditi dell'8° Bersaglieri e di 2 carri M13. Guastatori aprirono un varco nel campo minato protetto da filo spinato, antistante la Ridotto R3, I'assaltarono e la conquistarono utilizzando lanciafiamme e cariche cubiche ... Un commento al Bollettino di Guerra, trasmesso alle 13:00 del 10 maggio, informava che reparti del Genio Guastatori avevano espugnato 5 fortini della cerchia di Tobruk." (Genio Guastatori, Silvestri Angioni Lombardi , p. 47, Edizioni R.E.I., 2015)</ref>According to an Australian defender, ''"That night the slightest move would bring a flare over our position and the area would be lit like day. We passed a night of merry hell as the pounding went on."'' Italian infantry were then able to close in, and grenades were thrown into the bunkers. Nevertheless, strongpoints R.5 (Sergeant Gordon Poidevin<ref>"Sergeant Gordon Poidevin's 16 Platoon was split between Posts R5 and R7, both forward on the perimeter wire." The Second Twenty-Fourth Australian Infantry Battalion of the 9th Australian Division: A History, R. P. Serle, 2/24th i.e. Second Twenty-fourth Australian Infantry Battalion Association, p. 78, Jacaranda Press, 1963</ref>), R.6 (Captain Arthur Bird) and R.7 (Corporal K. S. Jones)<ref>"During the night desultory shell fire and occasional small-arms fire was heard. Morning of 2 May was very quiet but enemy tanks were observed lying in and around posts. Good deal of enemy infantry "movement and a party of Australians (these were Corporal Jones and his men from R7) wree seen to be marched off as prisoners."." The Second Twenty-Fourth Australian Infantry Battalion of the 9th Australian Division: A History, R. P. Serle, 2/24th i.e. Second Twenty-fourth Australian Infantry Battalion Association, p. 84, Jacaranda Press, 1963</ref>were taken only after stubborn resistance, and fought on until they had run out of ammunition or had grenades tossed into the firing pits. After they had been taken prisoner, General Rommel spoke to them ''"for you the war is over and I wish you good luck"'', recalled Corporal Jones

The British 51st Field Regiment had been constantly firing, causing an entire German battalion to scatter and, according to Rommel, creating panic in the Italian infantry. Seven British Cruiser and five Matilda tanks also appeared in the Italian area of penetration, engaging in an inconclusive battle with Italian tanks.

The British 51st Field Regiment had been constantly firing, causing an entire German battalion to scatter and, according to Rommel, creating panic in the Italian infantry. Seven British Cruiser and five Matilda tanks also appeared in the Italian area of penetration, engaging in an inconclusive battle with Italian tanks.