The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-12-31
suICIde Bound FalIed

S@hSA&V 9%u@1 ESAAS~
 Cairo, Dec. 3i--(Up)-A daring band of J1rItish Commandos came within ar ace of killing or captuf. Ing Gen. Erwin RoTnmel in Q night raid on the German commanders headquarters ct the zero hour Of the British offensive Into Llbya, 1t was revealed today.
 Leader of the British suicide squad was Col. 0eoffrey Reyes, son of Admiral Sir Roger Reyes, World war hero of Zeehrugge and first head of the CoEnEnandoS. Col. Reyes was killed.
 Only 6 birthday party which took Rommel away from his headquar. ters the night of the raid saved him from capture or death, accord. ing to the story of one of the par. ticipants, Q young, bearded lieu. tenAnt.colonel.
 The raid by the Commandos was synchronized with the start of the Llbyan offensive Nov. l7. Three days before the opening Of the British drive 0 party of 30 Com. nandos slipped behind the Axis lines Into Libye and made their way 20 miles to the main Axis headquarters near Sldi RGfa.
 For two nights the Commandos hid in . dry.wash near the head. quarters.
 Then, on the zero hour, they slipped up to Rommel's headquAr. ters In the darkness. Unable to eTas ter by Q back door or window, they vert to the front door and knocked. Burst In Shooting A German sentry obliglngly opened the door, and the CorimandoS start- cd shooting. ,.-'.sy burst open aSas other door to find two German staff officer and 6 number of oth- or Germans. With pistols and tom- my guns they speedily accounted for the whole group.
 The shooting aroused the whole headquarters and sleepy soldiers and officers stampeded downstairs, shouting in German: "What the hell is going on here7"
 4 sergeant Of the royal artillery let so with 6 tommy gun and drove them back.
 Other Germans tried to come to the aid Of their comrades from outside. They were driven off by two corporals ct the door.
 Meantime, Reyes, Q captain and c sergeant threw open the door of another room. They could hear the suppressed breathing of 6 group of Germans in the darkness inside out Reyes went straight ahead, blast- ing away. with his pistol.
 He was met by c volley of fire and fell back into e passage, Rrave- iy wounded. The sergeant stepped over his body and emptled the magazine If his tommy gun Into the room. The Germans continued to fire but the captain followed the sergeant In and yelling to him to duck back threw in two hand grenadeS and slammed the door.
 As the grenadss exploded among the trapped Germans, the captain and sergeant carried Reyes outside He died within Q few minutes.
 The other Commandos then with drew from the building, Iobbine hand grenades through every win. dow. The captain, hurrying around the building, was hit by a stray bullet which broke his leg.
 ColoneI's Last Orders
 There was Q igtie lull and ghe Comnandos prepared to move off, cSrrying their injured captain witt them. However, he, knowing hii party had 8 rendezvous with other Commandos ct point nearly 20 miles away over rough country, gave his companions hls two re- maining grenades, ordered them to complete thei rtask by blowing up an electric light plant and leave him prOpped up against a tree. The sergeant, after giving the eap- tain e shot of nnorphia, carried out his orders.
 The party made its rendezvous.
 Later, it was learned, khe Com. maudos missed Rommel only be- cause he had left his headquarters to attsnd birthday party for one og his officers.
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