NAVAL SUCCESSES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 October 1940, Page 5

NAVAL SUCCESSES

GAINED BY BRITISH FORCES IN MEDITERRANEAN REPLY TO ITALIAN FALSEHOODS THREE ENEMY DESTROYERS SUNK. AND FOUR PLANES SHOT DOWN. Recent, naval successes in the Mediterranean are reported in an Admiralty communique transmitted by the 8.8. C. During ' these operations HALS. Ajax, one of the light cruisers which took part in the River Plate battle, sank three Italian destroyers. There were no British losses. The Admiralty communique states that British warships carried out an extensive sweep in the Eastern and Central Mediterranean, but no contact was made with main enemy forces and there was no indication that the latter had proceeded to sea. On October 12, H.M.S. Ajax made contact with three Italian destroyers of 600 tons, 80 miles south-east of Sicily. The Ajax at once engaged them and sank two. Shortly after this engagement, a heavy Italian cruiser and four destroyers were sighted and engaged. One of the enemy destroyers was crippled and the other ships escaped in the darkness. Because it was thought the Ajax was in touch with considerable enemy forces, H.M.S. 'York came up in support, but no further contact was made with the enemy that night. The damaged enemy destroyer was located at dawn in tow with another Italian destroyer, which slipped the tow line and made off at fast speed under cover of a smoke screen. The crippled Italian destroyer was one of 1620 tons, one of the latest class of .large Italian destroyers. H.M.S. York came to the scene and order were given for the Italians to abandon ship. The enemy destroyer was later sunk by gunfire.

In view of air attacks made previously on British warships when they were rescuing the crew of an Italian cruiser, the position of the Italian survivors from the destroyer was given and the British warships proceeded from the scene, as it was known that an Italian air concentration and submarines were in the the vicinity. The Ajax had only a few casualties and suffered superficial damage which in no way affected her fighting efficiency. There were no casualties or damage on H.M.S. York.

This report relates to an action in which the Italian High Command, while admitting the loss of two torpe-do-boats and a destroyer, claimed that a British cruiser had been sunk. Attacks by enemy aircraft over a period of four hours were made on British warships during the operations. The Italians claimed to have hit an aircraft carrier and a heavy cruiser. None of the British warships suffered damage or casualties. Four Italian planes were certainly shot down and two more probably were destroyed. All the British planes returned safely. On October 13, aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm attacked a base in the Dodecanese Islands and all returned safely and naval units bombarded troop concentrations at Sidi Barrani. ITALIAN SHIPS SUNK.

British submarines have also achieved successes in the Mediterranean. One sank a 5,000-ton merchant ship escorted by motor torpedo-boats and an armed merchant ship of 3,000. tons. Another submarine sank an enemy supply ship of 3.000 tons and a third a supply ship of 800 tons.

Successful air operations in the Middle East are reported in a series of raids on October 13 and 14 on enemy bases, in which direct hits were obtained on shipping, buildings and quays and fires were started. All the British planes returned.