EARLIER NEWS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 March 1941, Page 5

EARLIER NEWS

IMPORTANT OPERATIONS TAKING PLACE ITALIANS FORCED INTO ACTION LITTORIO CLASS BATTLESHIP DAMAGED. TWO CRUISERS & DESTROYER HIT BY BRITISH BOMBS. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 29. ‘‘The Italian fleet has been forced into action by British naval units and appears to have suffered severe losses,” an Admiralty communique states. “Naval operations of some importance are taking place in the eastern Mediterranean. “Only preliminary reports are available, but from these it appears that yesterday our naval forces, under Admiral. Sir Andrew Cunningham, sighted Italian forces consisting of battleships, cruisers and destroyers. The enemy force scattered but some units have been brought to action and it appears so far that at least one Littorio class battleship has been damaged and two enemy cruisers have been, severely damaged. Naval aircraft and units of the Royal Air Force carried out attacks, the results of which are not x known. Greek naval forces are taking part in these operations.” A later Admiralty communique states: “Further information of the naval action is not available, but rafts containing Italian survivors were reported this morning by our aircraft. It piay . therefore be assumed that at least one Italian ship has been sunk." Following closely on the Admiralty communiques an R.A.F. Middle East communique describes widespread air operations from southern Italy to the Red Sea, including heavy attacks on Italian warships in the lonian Sea. In respect to the lonian Sea activities, the communique says: "A large formation of our bombers made a heavy and successful attack on enemy warships in the lonian Sea. Two cruisers and one destroyer were hit by heavy bombs. One of the cruisers, stopped, emitting black and yellow smoke. A number of bombs fell close to the enemy ships.” ITALIAN CLAIMS. An Italian communique states that air formations throughout Friday attacked enemy convoys, naval formations and anchored ships in the Aegean Sea by means of torpedoes and bombs. They hit two aircraft-carriers and two British cruisers and one cruiser must be considered lost, the communique adds. Some small merchantmen were heavily hit, .one of them being set on fire.

The First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr Alexander, inaugurating Britain’s war weapons week, mentioned the Mediter-