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→The Siege
==The Siege==
==The Siege==
The besieging units would be mainly Italians, belonging to the ''Ariete'' and ''Trieste'' Diviisons (20th Motorised Corps) and ''Pavia'', ''Bologna'', and ''Brescia'' Divisions (21st Infantry Corps). The Australian commanders remain determined to recapture the ground lost. On 3 May, the Australians launch a counterattack employing the 18th Brigade but are only able to recapture one strongpoint from what Australian historians admit to be held by the Italians. On the night of 16-17 May, the Axis besiegers retaliate and although the participating German unit under a Major Betz fails in their attack, two platoons of the 32nd Combat Sappers Battalion breach the barbed-wire defences and minefields guarding the S.8, S.9 and S.10 strongpoints and the Italians manage to defend the captured strongpoints from Australian counterattacks.<ref>"... il reparto tedesco penetrò profondamente nel campo minato ma fu scoperto e fatto segno di una forte resistenza nemica. Essendo venuto a mancare l'effetto sorpresa i Sturpioneer tedeschi subirono gravissime perdite. Riuscirono a conquistare la posizione ma non riuscivano a tenerla, causa i contrattacchi delgi Australiani. A questo punto il Maggiore Franceschini, di sua iniziativa, mando la 3a ad attacare sul fianco gli Australiani mentre la 4a si oppose frontalmente ai nemici.Cosi le due compagnie conquistarono la quota. I tedeschi, fortemente provati, ebbero oltre 100 caduti, si ritirarono lasciando i soli Guastatori a presidiare la quota. Il Maggiore Betz, informo il comando del comportamiento dei Guastatori, Qualche giorno piu tardi arrivo Rommel, per vistare il reparto, si fece dare 4 nomi e li premio con la Coce di ferro II classe: Ten. Mario Pazzaglia, Ten. Aroldo Anzani, Sten, Rolando De Angelis e Serg. Mario Venturi." (Genio Guastatori, Silvestri Angioni Lombardi , pp. 50-51, Edizioni R.E.I., 2015)</ref>With pathways in the Australian forward defences cleared, the participating ''Brescia'' infantry attack the defenders using flame-throwers.
The besieging units would be mainly Italians, belonging to the ''Ariete'' and ''Trieste'' Diviisons (20th Motorised Corps) and ''Pavia'', ''Bologna'', and ''Brescia'' Divisions (21st Infantry Corps). The Australian commanders remain determined to recapture the ground lost. On 3 May, the Australians launch a counterattack employing the 18th Brigade but are only able to recapture one strongpoint from what Australian historians admit to be held by the Italians. On the night of 16-17 May, the Axis besiegers retaliate. With pathways in the Tobruk forward defences cleared, the participating Brescia infantry attack using flame-throwers. The participating German unit under a Major Betz fails in their attack, but two platoons of the 32nd Combat Sappers Battalion come to their rescue, securing the S.8, S.9 and S.10 strongpoints and successfully defend them from Australian counterattacks that includes an attempt to regain R.7 that night.<ref>"... il reparto tedesco penetrò profondamente nel campo minato ma fu scoperto e fatto segno di una forte resistenza nemica. Essendo venuto a mancare l'effetto sorpresa i Sturpioneer tedeschi subirono gravissime perdite. Riuscirono a conquistare la posizione ma non riuscivano a tenerla, causa i contrattacchi delgi Australiani. A questo punto il Maggiore Franceschini, di sua iniziativa, mando la 3a ad attacare sul fianco gli Australiani mentre la 4a si oppose frontalmente ai nemici.Cosi le due compagnie conquistarono la quota. I tedeschi, fortemente provati, ebbero oltre 100 caduti, si ritirarono lasciando i soli Guastatori a presidiare la quota. Il Maggiore Betz, informo il comando del comportamiento dei Guastatori, Qualche giorno piu tardi arrivo Rommel, per vistare il reparto, si fece dare 4 nomi e li premio con la Coce di ferro II classe: Ten. Mario Pazzaglia, Ten. Aroldo Anzani, Sten, Rolando De Angelis e Serg. Mario Venturi." (Genio Guastatori, Silvestri Angioni Lombardi , pp. 50-51, Edizioni R.E.I., 2015)</ref><ref>"Raising doubts about the chances of success of a renewed assault on the stubborn post R7 after the failure of his battalion's attack on 17 May, Evans was told by Brigadier Wootten: 'Listen, laddie, when I want your advice I'll ask for it.'" Australian Battalion Commanders in the Second World War, Garth Pratten, Cambridge University Press, 2009</ref>
Major-General Leslie Morshead is furious that another 3 strongpoints have been lost and orders the Australians to be far more vigilant in the future.<ref>" Today we lost posts S8, S9 and S10, the occupants having been taken prisoners in the circumstances set out in the attached document. This is the second time that portion of our garrison has vanished. As far as can be ascertained the number of casualties was negligible, the posts having been just mopped up – rather a new experience for the AIF." (Australia in the War of 1939-1945. 4 volumes, Chapter 7: Midsummer in the Fortress, p. 251, Australian War Memorial, 1952-1968)</ref>
Despite the setbacks, the Australians fought hard and the Commanding Officer of the 32nd Combat Sappers—Colonel Emilio Caizzo— is killed in a satchel attack on a machine-gun emplacement, an action which earns him a posthumous [[Gold Medal for Military Valour]]. An Italian narrative has recorded:
''"On the night on 16 May 1941, two platoons of the 3rd Combat Engineer Company in union with assault groups of the "Brescia" Infantry Division, which had been sent as reinforcements on the 11th of that month, initiated the attack. With total disregard to danger and usual stealthiness, the combat sappers opened three paths in the wire fencing in front of each assault group. They used explosive charges in tubes. Fighting side by side with the assaulters, in fierce hand-to-hand combat, they inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, and obtained the objective."''<ref>[http://www.guastatori.it/i-guastatori-nel-2%C2%B0-conflitto-mondiale/xxxii-btg-g-gua/ GRUPPO NAZIONALE GUASTATORI DEL GENIO]</ref>
''"On the night on 16 May 1941, two platoons of the 3rd Combat Engineer Company in union with assault groups of the "Brescia" Infantry Division, which had been sent as reinforcements on the 11th of that month, initiated the attack. With total disregard to danger and usual stealthiness, the combat sappers opened three paths in the wire fencing in front of each assault group. They used explosive charges in tubes. Fighting side by side with the assaulters, in fierce hand-to-hand combat, they inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, and obtained the objective."''<ref>[http://www.guastatori.it/i-guastatori-nel-2%C2%B0-conflitto-mondiale/xxxii-btg-g-gua/ GRUPPO NAZIONALE GUASTATORI DEL GENIO]</ref>
On 2 August, in the belief that the Axis battalions had largely abandoned the lost strongpoints, an attack was launched by a company of the 2/43rd Battalion and a company of the 2/28th Battalion from Tobruk. The attack is well planned and supported by more than 60 field guns, but the German defenders and supporting Bersaglieri machinegunners are ready, and the Australian attack fails with heavy loss of lives. This would be the last Australian effort to recover the lost strongpoints and criticism was levelled at General Morshead for the failure of the attack.
On 2 August, in the belief that the Axis battalions had largely abandoned the lost strongpoints, an attack was launched by a company of the 2/43rd Battalion and a company of the 2/28th Battalion from Tobruk. The attack is well planned and supported by more than 60 field guns, but the German defenders and supporting Bersaglieri machinegunners are ready, and the Australian attack fails with heavy loss of lives. This would be the last Australian effort to recover the lost strongpoints and criticism was levelled at General Morshead for the failure of the attack.