R.A.F. ACTIVITIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 June 1941, Page 6

R.A.F. ACTIVITIES

AGAINST ENEMY AIRCRAFT & BASES. SUCCESSES OVER WIDE AREAS. (British Official Wireless. I (Received This Day, 12.20 p.m.) RUGBY, June 2. A communique issued from the Headquarters of the R.A.F. in the Middle East states: "In ihe Mediterranean. ' large formations of fighting aircraft of the R.A.F. and South African Air Force continued their protective patrol throughout yesterday over British warships and merchant vessels engaged in the evacuation of our troops from Crete. Enemy aircraft were repeatedly intercepted and many were attacked. Several others, including four S79s and throe Junkers 88s were compelled to retire before they had time to make an attack. On the previous clay a Cant 107 and a Messerschmitt HO were destroyed by our patrols while on similar duty. These are in addition to the seven enemy aircraft claimed in yesterdays communique. "During the night of May 31 our heavy bombers attacked the aerodromes at Malemi and Heraclion. in Crete. Several fires were started and four enemy aircraft were destroyed on the ground at Malemi. A number of others are believed to have been destroyed at Almyro. In addition to these protective and bombing activities, which have taken place throughout the whole period of the evacuation, a number of our bombers have been engaged in dropping medical supplies and food to isolated bodies of our troops in Crete. "In East Africa, aircraft of the South African Air Force have successfully bombed and machine-gunned enemy positions and motor transport in the Jimma area, obtaining direct hits on buildings and vehicles. R.A.F. aircraft bombed enemy troop concentrations at Debarech and aircraft of one Free French unit bombed and machinegunned enemy motor transport between Chelga and Azoza. "During the night of Mfty 31. our heavy bombers again attacked the haibour of Benghazi and stalled files which were visible forty miles away. A South African Air Force fighter shot down a German Henschel aircraft near Tobruk yesterday and machine-gunned military buildings. "In Syria, our bombers raided Aleppo aerodrome and destroyed a large twin-engined enemy aircraft by a direct hit and damaged several others. "From all these operations, one of our aircraft is missing."