AGAIN REPELLED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 January 1941, Page 5

AGAIN REPELLED

GERMAN DIVE=BOMBERS AT MALTA

SIX SHOT DOWN 1 TWO BRITISH PLANES LOST. WITH ONE PILOT SAFE. A Royal Air Force communique from the Middle East states, according to the 8.8. C.. that Malta was again attacked on Saturday by ! large forces of Junkers 87 and 88 dive-bombers. Once again, the en- ) emy planes met with a fierce resistance and six were shot down and others badly damaged. ! Two of our fighters were lost, but j the pilot of one was saved. Some daml age was done to R.A.F. property, but ! it is not of a serious nature. < Including the ten planes shot down \ earlier, the enemy has lost at least 16 planes in his latest activities in this part of the Mediterranean area. British pilots are showing that they are just as well able to deal with German dive-bombers in the Mediterranean as over the English Channel. NAZI ADMISSION PLANES LOST AT MALTA. ALLEGED ATTACK ON SUEZ CANAL. 'Received This Day, 10.45 a.m.) LONDON, January 19. A German communique admits that two German planes are missing from the Malta raid and says: ‘‘Bombers on the night of January 17 attacked military targets in the Suez Canal district and in Egypt." ITALIAN COMMUNIQUE. 'Received This Day. 10.45 a.m.) LONDON.. January 19. ! An Italian communique reports that the enemy raided Massawa and Assab. The communique claims that German bombing formations, escorted by German and Italian fighters, hit barracks and hangars on Malta and caused vast fires.” SUSTAINED EFFORT WAVES OF PLANES ATTACK FOR AN HOUR. NO DEATHS REPORTED. LONDON. January 19. A German force yesterday launched further dive-bombing attacks on Malta. It is officially announced that at least five of the enemy aircraft were shot down by British fighters. Two of the R.A.F. fighters were lost, but both the pilots are safe. A communique states that enemy planes flew high over the island in the morning, but no bombs were dropped. In the afternoon formation attacks were made in continuous waves for over an hour.

An aerodrome was a target, and damage was done to Government property, A few casualties were caused, but no deaths are reported. In addition to bringing down five of the enemy, R.A.F. fighters scored hits on several others. Anti-aircraft batteries claim to have scored four hits, but these are not confirmed. Later a formation flew over at a great height and was engaged by ground fire. No bombs were dropped. Two enemy planes then approached, but did not cross the coast, circling round the island, presumably looking for lost crews. It is also learned from Malta that the recent bombing has destroyed two his-; toric churches celebrated in the annalsi ".if the Knights of St. John. In three days the Germans have! almost equalled the total civilian dam-; age caused by the Italians in their! eight months of raids on Malta.

A R AF. Middle East communique states: "Malta was heavily raided by large forces of enemy aircraft, Junkers 87’s and 88’s, yesterday. Damage was caused to RAF. property, but it was not serious. Our fighters, although greatly outnumbered, intercepted the enemy, shot down six and badly damaged a number of others. Two of our fighters were lost but the pilot of one was saved." R.A.F. REPORT RAIDS IN LIBYA AND EAST AFRICA. (Received This Day. 11.12 a.m.) RUGBY. January 19. A R zN.F. Middle East communique states: "On the night of January 17 bombers raided Tobruk and a huge; fire was caused near petrol dumps, but ; other damage could not be observed owing to the weather. All the bombs, however, fell well in the target area. One Italian S 81 bombers was shot I down by an Australian squadron In Italian East Africa a large transport yard at A;m;tb was bombed .Several direct hits were registered Bombs were di-upped on military buildings at Hargvisa, in British Somaliland, whilean enemy eamp live miles east iff Uinm Haggar wa attacked and fires started During the night of January 17. Asmara was raided,, bombs falling in the ■ target area, resulting m damage which, however, was not observed owing to a b>w cloud All our aircraft have relurried safe!v with the exception of <.,iiie fighter, ; which so far has not returned from a pat! ■ 1 in laby a