Flares over the docks, Tobruk

The destroyers night visit over, men of Docks Operating Unit proceed to remove the precious supplies from the destroyer berths and quais to dumps outside the town. Time is important for in the light of the coming dawn any signs of activity or concentration of stores will be reported by the reconnaissance plane and will bring the bombers or heavy shelling. Despite the raid warning, men have continued working, the enemy planes have dropped their flares in preparation for the bombing run and the men promptly take cover. In the foreground is the fore well deck of SS Urana - a mass of twisted and torn metal. From Admiralty House (formerly headquarters of Italian Regia Marina), naval personnel are proceeding to slit trenches, armed with Lewis guns, Tobruk, Libya.