DAMAGING ATTACKS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 July 1941, Page 6

DAMAGING ATTACKS

ON SHIPPING & AIR BASES MADE BY R.A.F. IN MIDDLE EAST. HEAVY BOMBERS RAID ISLAND OF RHODES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day. 11.50 a.m.) RUGBY. July LL A RAF Middle East communique states:' “In Libya, bomber aircraft carried out successful attacks on an enemy convoy outside Tripoli yesteiday. A 7,000-ton ship was hit, set on fire and destroyed. Huge columns of black smoke rose to a great height from the vessel. One three-masted schooner, apparently carrying oil or munitions, blew up when hit by a bomb. Another 1,000-ton vessel was hit and was seen burning steadily. Several large bombs were also dropped on ships inside the harbour. “On the night of July 11. R.A.F. heavy bombers attacked the harbour of Benghazi and the aerodrome at Dorna. A Junkers 83 was shot down by one of our fighters ofl the Libyan coast on July 12. "During the night of July 12, R.A.F. heavy bombers raided enemy aerodromes on the Island of Rhodes. At Calato, bombs fell on the landing ground and dispersal area, causing explosions and fires. At Maritza aerodrome, buildings and hangars were hit and left burning strongly. A number of heavy explosions were caused. Dispersed aircraft are believed to have been destroyed and a forest to the east of the aerodrome was left burning. Fires and explosions were also caused on the aerodrome at Kattavia. “From these operations all our aircraft returned safely.”