BATTLE OF MALTA

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20917, 17 October 1942, Page 3

BATTLE OF MALTA

ISLAND’S RECORD 19 AXIS PLANES A DAY EGYPTIAN LULL HOLDS (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) (11 a.m.) RUGBY. Oct. 16. The honours were again with the defenders in the undiminished Axis onslaught on Malta. The island s defences have now destroyed at least 94 Axis planes in four days. To-day’s Cairo communique states that the attacks were continued on Wednesday night but most of the bombs fell in the sea. One Heinkel was destroyed by our night fighters. Daylight attacks on Thursday were on the same scale as previously. Our fighters shot down 14 enemy aircraft for the loss of four Spitfires. Three of the pilots are safe. A Junkers 88 made a forced landing near Kafra on Wednesday and the crew were taken prisoner. Referring to operations in Africa, the communique says there was nothing to report from the land forces yesterday exceput patrol activity. Our medium bombers on Wednesday night successfully raided targets at Tobruk, Sidi Haneish, and Solium, where fires and explosions resulted. In the battle area yesterday our fighter bombers were active over enemy transport. Our fighters destroyed a Junkers 52 southward ol Crete. We lost six aircraft in these operations. including the four over Malta.