R.A.F. ACTIVITY IN MIDDLE EAST

Southland Times, Issue 24824, 17 August 1942, Page 5

R.A.F. ACTIVITY IN MIDDLE EAST

(80.W.) RUGBY, August 15. From August 11 to 14 air operations over the El Alamein battle area have been on a reduced scale, says the Air Ministry news service. . Our fighter bombers carried out a series of attacks on gun. positions and on August 14 light bombers effectively raided landing grounds on other objectives in the Fuka and Daba area. Escorting fighters shot down one Messerschmitt 109. Enemy air activity has been slight and few air combats have taken place. Tobruk harbour was raided by strong formations of bomber aircraft each night from August 10 to 13 and numerous fires and explosions were observed along the waterfront and among military installations in the town. Smaller attacks, in which naval aircraft participated, were directed against Mersa Matruh and other objectives a’ong the North African coast. Enemy coastal shipping moving off the coast between Tobruk and Mersa Matruh has been consistently and effectively attacked. One lighter and two E boats were sunk and others were severely damaged. During the period under review in one such operation our long range fighters shot down two Junkers 52’s. Our fighters carried out on August 11 highly successful operations against enemy aerdoromes at Elmas and Decimomannu in Sardinia. Seven multiengined aircraft were set on fire and another was damaged. A hangar at Elmas was left in flames. Fighter aircraft at Malta have taken heavy toll of enemy aircraft attacking one of our convoys in the Mediterranean. On August 13 and 14 they destroyed two Junkers 88’s, two Junkers 87’s, one unidentified Italian bomber and one Re 2001. Final figures are not yet available. From all operations during the past four days and nights, including air fighting over the convoy, 12 of our aircraft have not returned.