DEFENCE OF MALTA

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 20, 19 October 1942, Page 6

DEFENCE OF MALTA

Further Heavy Toll Of Axis Planes ACE AGAIN DECORATED (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 17. R. headquarters (Middle East) states that t'ince the resumption of large-scale enemy attacks on Malta on October 11 till late in the afternoon of October 15, a total of 98 enemy aircraft was destroyed in the defence of the island, 93. by Spitfires, four by long-range and night fighters, and the remaining one was shared by antiaircraft guns, and a fighter. Our losses in the same period were 18 fighters, with 10 of the pilots safe. Negligible damage was done to military targets in Malta. A later message states that, an additional six enemy aircraft were destroyed off Malta on Thursday and 20 more were damaged, five with little chance of reaching home. The total destroyed since October 11 now exceeds 100. Malta messages say that early this morning R.A.F. fighters encountered a heavilv-escorted bomber formation. The R.A.F. shot down three bombers and fighters. Two enemy bombers were destroyed yesterday afternoon, when another neavily escorted formation was intercepted by Spitfires. A Middle East communique states: “Air activity over Malta continued on Thursday night and throughout yesterday. An enemy plane was shot down by ground fire at night and our fighters destroyed seven enemy aircraft during the day.” The latest list of R.A.F. awards includes the D.F.C. to Pilot Officer S. F. Benrling, D.F.M. and bar, who tills week brought down Malta’s thousandth enemy plane. His personal total is now reported to be 29. .

IN SOUTHERN LIBYA Lorry Convoy Attacked By Fighting French

(Received October 18, 5.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 17. The Fighting French announce that Fighting French planes from Central African bases attacked a lorry convoy travelling across Fezzan. a district in southern Libya, 200 miles north of Cl Ji fl (I A Middle East communique states: “Patrols on both sides were active on Thursday night. Yesterday there were some artillery exchanges. Our medium bombers on Thursday night attacked harbour installations at Tobruk, and yesterday our fighter-bombers were’active over landing grounds at El Daba. “United States‘and R.A.F. heavy bombers made a daylight attack on shipping at e “Froni the above operations, including defence over Malta, seven of our planes failed to return, but three of the pilots are safe.” ~ Two British submarines in the Mealterranean sank three more supply ships and torpedoed four others, said an Admiralty communique yesterday. . The first one torpedoed and damaged a small enemy supply sh ’l* near “n Libyan coast, and sank another small supply ship and a schooner at anchor, and scored a torpedo hit on a mediumsized supply ship, which was beached on the southern Italian coast alter K.A.n . bombing. The second submarine sank an enemy supply ship aid torpedoed and. damaged two others, one of which was a large vessel.

CAIRO COMMUNIQUE

LONDON, October 18. Today’s Cairo communique says that there was nothing to report from the land fighting. Bud weather prevented air operations yesterday. Long-range bombers attacked enemy transport on the Sidi Barrani-Soilum road. In the week since the Axis air attacks on Malta were increased, more . .than 140 enemy aircraft have been shot down. Eight more planes were shot down yesterday and many others badly damaged, most of the attackers having to drop their bombs in the water before they could reach the island.