R.A.F. BUSY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 June 1941, Page 5

R.A.F. BUSY

RAIDS AND INTENSIVE FIGHTING DESTRUCTION OF ENEMY MACHINES. SIX BRITISH AIRCRAFT MISSING. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.50 a.m.) RUGBY, June 16. A R.A.F. Middle East communique states: “Yesterday fighters of the R.A.F. and S.A.A.F. engaged in several combats with enemy aircraft and three Messerschmitt 109’s and one CR 42 were shot down during the day. South African fighters attacked a formation of Junkers 88’s, strongly escorted by fighters, and forced them to jettison their bombs before they could carry out their attack. Our aircraft also machine-gunned enemy columns, transport and armoured vehicles near Cazala, Capuzzo and Barce and disabled a number of vehicles.

“During the night of June 14, a successful raid was carried out on the harbour of Benghazi. A particularly violent explosion near the Cathedral Mole was followed by a fire of such magnitude that it was visible from a distance of 90 miles. Bombing attacks were also made during the night on an enemy camp at Bardia and on the landing ground of Derna, where a large fire was started.

“It is now confirmed that nine unidentified enemy aircraft were destroyed on the ground at Gazala, in addition to the two reported in yesterday’s communique, and that two further Messerschmitt 110’s were shot down in addition to that reported destroyed at Safafi.

“R.A.F. bombers carried out raids on the aerodrome at Aleppo and dropped bombs among dispersed aircraft on the runways, starting a number of fires. Hostile fighters, which attempted to intercept, were attacked and damaged. “Fighters operating over our troops in, the Kiswe area drove off a formation of Vichy De Woitine fighters and destroyed two of them. Fighter aircraft of the' R.A.A.F., which were machine-gunning armoured vehicles in the same area, shot down two hostile bombers. “Protective patrols were carried out by R.A.F. fighters over our naval units off the Syrian coast. Two formations of hostile aircraft were intercepted and a number were severly damaged. “From all these operations six of our aircraft are missing.”