DIRECT HITS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 August 1940, Page 5

DIRECT HITS

SCORED ON ITALIAN SUBMARINES TWO MORE SUNK BY R.A.F. BOMBERS. HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL ATTACKS. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, August 1. An Admiralty cbmmunique states that two more Italian submarines have been sunk as the result of action by the Royal Air Force. R.A.F. bombers on patrol sighted an Italian submarine on the surface. The first salvo of bombs dropped close to the submarine, which endeavoured to submerge. The second salvo was released when only the conning tower was above the surface of the water. A direct hit was registered, and shortly afterward air bubbles were visible, followed by a large patch of oil. In the second attack a direct hit was registered on the conning tower of a submarine following the release of the first salvo of bombs. HEADQUARTERS REPORT STORY OF EFFECTIVE BOMBING (Received This Day, 9 a.m) The R.A.F. Middle East headquarters announces that two Italian submarines were sunk in the Mediterranean last month. The first occasion was when a British plane, while patrolling, sighted an enemy submarine and immediately attacked. The first salvo of bombs exploded close to the stern of the submarine, which attempted to submerge stern-first, but manoeuvred clumsily, whereupon the British squadron-leader dropped a second salvo, scoring direct hits abaft the connnig tower. The submarine then submerged. A final salvo of bombs crashed into the water on the enemy's estimated position. Ain bubbles appeared and a large patch of oil formed on the surface. On the second occasion British planes dropped two salvoes, of bombs, after sighting a submarine. The first salvo fell 15 yards from the stern, but the second scored a direct hit on the conning tower. A large oil patch formed on the surface of the water.