DAMAGE AT TRIPOLI

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 December 1940, Page 5

DAMAGE AT TRIPOLI

SUCCESSFUL ATTACK MADE BY NAVAL PLANES WAREHOUSES SET ON FIRE. R.A.F. DESTROYS ENEMY PLANES. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, December 24. An Admiralty communique states that the following report has been received from the Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean, Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham: “Naval aircraft attacked the harbour of Tripoli (capital of Libya) on Friday night. The attacks were extremely successful. A quay was repeatedly hit and warehouses were set on fire and one was seen to explode. The seaplane station was also heavily hit. “On Saturday afternoon our naval aircraft attacked with torpedoes a convoy of three merchant ships escorted by a destroyer. One 3000-ton ship was seen to blow up and another—of 6000 tons —was also sunk. “One of our aircraft failed to return from these operations.” A Royal Air Force communique issued at Cairo states: “During offensive patrols over Bardia-Tobruk area yesterday R.A.F. fighter aircraft, on three occasions intercepted enemy aircraft. One 5.79 was set on fire, and

went down in flames and two others were shot down, and one .CR.42 was also sent down in flames. All four aircraft were definitely destroyed.”