FIGHTERS' DAY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 126, 30 May 1942, Page 7

FIGHTERS' DAY

KITTYHAWKS DO WELL

Bostons Cause Havoc Among Enemy Transport

Rec. 1.30 p.m. RUGBY, May 29. Some hours before the enemv's attack began in Libya R.A F fighters operating from forward bases were reconnoitring the Germans' tinal preparations and strafing columns and motor transport concentrations. By the time the Axis attack was launched the sky was filled with R.A.F. fighters and bombers, which gave magnificent support to the land forces by harassing the enemy, carrying out fighter sweeps and spotting for the army. Other fighters escorted Bostons in attacks on transport. Kittyhawks kept up a continuous attack on columns and supply vehicles that followed the advancing armoured cars and tanks along the southern flank of the Allied forces. Columns, including petrol bowsers, were bombed and machine-gunned and wrecked by cannon fire. Again and again they were scattered, overturned and set on fire.

The Kitty hawks alone destroyed or seriously damaged more than «."> vehicles. Fighters also escorted the Bostons on a raid in which a concentration of some 700 motor transport vehicles was attacked. Great havoc was caused as all the bombs fell plumb on the target and scores of vehicles were destroyed. Four large fires were left burning among the concentrations All the Bostons returned.

The heat of the s'*imcr day from the arid desert mac.™ visibility difficult for the pilots, and the sand churned up in thick columns by the moving transport was a further handicap.

The Axis air forces had kept up an all-night straffing on the roads, landing grounds and camps on the principal desert fighter bases of the R.A.F. behind the front lines, but they did little or no damage and lost two aircraft to the defences on the first night and two others shot down by night fighters who for weeks have been regularly strafling German and Italian camps by moonlight. R.A.F. losses throughout Wednes day, the first day of the advance, totalled five. of the pilots of which may yet turn up.