BOMBERS & FIGHTERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 February 1941, Page 6

BOMBERS & FIGHTERS

ACTIVE ON ALL AFRICAN FRONTS

HEAVY DAMAGE EFFECTED ' BY R.A.F. ONE BRITISH PLANE LOST. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Dav. 10.55 a.m.i RUGBY. February 4. An R.A.F. Middle East communique says: "R.A.F. bomber and fighter aircraft have continued to attack enemy lines of communication on all fronts.

"In Libya, our bombers raided the Berka aerodrome, at Benghazi, last night and dropped bombs on aircraft dispersed on the ground and started large fires in several buildings. At Barce, the railway station was heavily attacked and motor transport was destroyed on the roads. Our fighter aircraft throughout yesterday harassed the enemy by machine-gun attacks. Between Slonta and Tecnis, ten miles east of Barce, six separate attacks were made on troops withdrawing along the road. There were several casualties and between 20 and 30 motor vehicles were also destroyed. "During the last two days the South African Air Force has accounted for six enemy aircraft in Abyssinia, without loss to themselves.

"On February 2 fighter aircraft destroyed a Caproni bomber on the ground at Afmadu. 60 miles northwest of Kismayu, The Italians replied with machine-gun fire. Yesterday a

South African bomber attacked the Gobwen aerodrome. 6 miles north-east of Kismayu. dropping many incendiary bombs. It then machine-gunned the aerodrome and as a result three S79’s and one Caproni and one CR42 were destroyed.

Li support of the Army's successful advance in Eritrea our aircraft continued to attack the enemy. During the operations one CAI 33 was desiroyt d. The aerodrome at Gura suffered heavily as the result of a raid in winch a number of direct hits were registered on buildings and on nearby roads.

' Fiom all the operations under re view, one of nut- aircraft failed to re turn "