ITALIANS BOMBED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 253, 23 September 1940, Page 8

ITALIANS BOMBED

IN WESTERN DESERT

BRITISH AIRMEN BUSY

(United Press Association—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 1.27 p.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 22. An R.A.F. Cairo communique states: A series of reconnaissance flights were carried out by the R.A.F. on Saturday over enemy territory in the Western Desert. Valuable information was obtained. At Sidi Barrani our bombers raided the aerodrome and troop positions. Bombs burst among the aerodrome buildings close to a group of three enemy fighters. Direct hits were registered on a supply dump. All our aircraft returned safely.

In East Africa South African Air Force aircraft attacked Birkao. Buildings were bombed and several fires were started. A small factory was damaged and 70 per cent, of the buildings were gutted. R.A.F. bombers operating from the Sudan raided Tessenei aerodrome. One enemy aircraft, a Caproni 133,--was badly damaged by a near miss. An enemy bomber which attempted to raid Aden on Saturday was driven off, and another was treated in a similar fashion shortly afterwards. No dama'gd was done.

DAMAGE AT HAIFA

A Cairo communique - states: On Saturday morning Alexandria was bombed by enemy aircraft, causing negligible damage and very few casualties. Enemy aircraft again raided Haifa on Saturday afternoon and bombs were chopped on various quarters of the town, causing a certain amount of damage, including to a mosque and the Moslem cemetery. Thirty-two people were killed, and 18 injured, all Arabs. It is believed, that at least two enemy aeroplanes were hit by anti-aircraft fire. On the other fronts there is nothing to report.

ITALIANS ADMIT RAIDS,

(Rec. 11.36 a.m.) ROME, Sept. 22. A communique states : “Our bombing of military objectives at Mersa Matruh (in Egypt) caused large fires. Enemy planes made night raids on Sidi Barrani, Tojjiruk. and Derna. There were some casualties, but the damage was small. Our planes bombed the Alexandria naval base, hitting a ship. They also bombed an enemy convoy in the Red Sea, seriously damaging two transports. “An Italian patrol raided Isiolo (Kenya). The enemy has carried out various-attacks in Somaliland.”