R.A.F. ACTIVITIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 July 1941, Page 6

R.A.F. ACTIVITIES

IN SYRIA & CYRENAICA DAMAGE DONE TO RAILWAYS & HARBOURS. SUCCESSFUL ATTACKS IN GREECE & CRETE. ißritish Official Wireless.) (Received This Day. 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY, July 9. A R.A.F. Middle East communique states: “In Syria yesterday, bomber aircraft' of the R.A.F. attacked railway sidings and warehouses near the harbour of Tripoli and obtained a number of direct hits with heavy bombs. Aircraft of a Royal Australian Air Squadron carried out a damaging machinegun attack on Vichy armoured cars and motor transport vehicles near Beirut. During the night of July 7. heavy bombers attacked and damaged Vichy aircraft on the ground at Aleppo and on satellite aerodromes at Nasrullah, where three Vichy aircraft were destroyed.

“In Cyrenaica. R.A.F. heavy bombers again carried out successful attacks on’ the harbour of Benghazi. In one of these raids a Iqrge petrol fire was started on a railway terminus and sidings. Another explosive fire was started at the base of the Cathedral Mole, causing a 500 yards belt of flame, which spread along the docks and was visible for forty miles. Fires were started at the base of the Central Mole by another formation, which also severely damage a CR.42. "R.A.F. bomber aircraft also attacked targets at Eleusis, in Greece, and on the island of Crete, and caused fires in both places. All our planes returned safely.”