CONSTANT ACTION
BV BRITISH AIR FIGHTERS & BOMBERS MANY BLOWS STRUCK AT ENEMY. IN MEDITERRANEAN THEATRES & AFRICA. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 12.20 p.m.) RUGBY, April 16.
A R.A.F. Middle East communique records widespread and successful operations in the Mediterranean theatres of war. It states: "In Cyrenaica, considerable damage and confusion were caused to enemy troops and motor transport concentrations in the El Adem-Tobruk-Bardia area yesterday, by constant air action by the R.A.F. and R.A.A.F. The enemy was given little respite. Our bombers raided throughout the day, while fighters on patrol took every opportunity of carrying out machine-gun attacks. Four Junkers 52’s were intercepted over Capuzzo by Australian fighters. One was shot down immediately, whereupon the remainder attempted hurried landings and crashed in doing so. They were then destroyed on the ground by machine-gun fire. During Monday night, aerodromes at Derna, Menastir and El Adem were raided, buildings, tents and hangars being destroyed. A large twin-engined enemy aircraft at Menastir was wrecked by l machine-gun fire and another at Derna was destroyed.
“In the Balkans, a highly successful attack was made on shipping in Valona Harbour by aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm on Monday night. A merchant ship of 6,000 tons and an ammunition ship of 7,000 tons were blown up. “On the same night, R.A.F. bombers carried out a heavy raid on Voles, where a bridge over the River Vardar received direct hits. The main bridge was blown.up and communication was cut. Motor transport on the Veles-Prilep Road was also successfully attacked, a number of fires being caused, much damage done and transport destroyed. "The enemy attempted dive-bombing attacks on the Piraeus Harbour yesterday morning. Slight damage vzas caused to R.A.F. property. Our fighters intercepted five Junkers 88’s which were shot down. Others were severely damaged and are unlikely to have returned to their base. The enemy also raided aerodromes at Yannina, where some damage was caused. "The enemy raided Malta on Monday night. The only damage was to a mental home, where one patient was killed and nine were injured. "There is nothing of outstanding importance to report from other fronts. "From all the above operations, all our planes returned safely except two bombers.”
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Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 April 1941, Page 6
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367CONSTANT ACTION Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 April 1941, Page 6
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