HEAVY LOSSES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 January 1941, Page 5

HEAVY LOSSES

SUFFERED BY GERMAN’S AT AIALTA I —- CERTAIN DESTRUCTION OF 37 DIVE-BOMBERS. — IN PERIOD OF THREE DAYS. The losses of German divebombers over Malta have been even greater than was at first i though. It is now officially stated i that two more enemy aircraft are known to have been destroyed in Saturday's raid. Three more were ■ probably destroyed and four more damaged. This brings the total loss of German dive-bombers over MalI ta on Sunday to at least 17 machines. i In three days of raids 37 German ' machines have certainly been destroyed and five probably destroyed and nine are known to have been damaged. The British losses are less than was at first reported. Two pilots are safe from the three fighters lost on Sunday. German air intervention in the Mediterranean has been at a heavy cost, In addition to the 37 bombers shot down over Malta, at least 12 more were destroyed in the action against British, warships and between 30 and 40 have been put out of action on the ground in the aerodrome at Catania. DAMAGE IN MALT.A ATTACK MADE ON HARBOUR. LONDON. January 20. The communique issued in Malta on yesterday’s air attack states that considerable damage was done to civilian property. The Germans made live raids during the day, beginning in the morn-' ing with an onslaught on the harbour. Severe damage was done on the second successive day to a -100-year-okF church.